A Forgotten Promise: Part Six

If It Were Not So: A Forgotten Promise – Part Six

Hebrews 8:10

“For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people.” 

The Bible tells us that the earth groaneth in the latter days. (Romans 8:22) Things are bound to get worse. We are nation in war against terrorism and countries that do not value human life. There is likely to be more and more war in the Middle East in the very near future. Iran and Israel are on the verge of war. These days are scary for most people. They wonder what the future holds. I can see it happening more quickly than ever. And there is no time to waste. Jesus will be here soon and we need to be ready. I feel a sense of urgency that we need to be preparing now, more than ever before, for the second coming of Jesus.

“Behold I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.” Revelation 16:15

     By changing the day of worship, Satan has succeeded in taking away worship from God. He is thrilled that his plan has worked so well. But there will come a time – very soon – when Satan’s plans will come to an end and He will be cast into the bottomless pit to think over what he has done.

“Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished.” Revelation 20:1- 3

 

     The deception is great. You see, Satan masks his evil plan with a veil of Christianity. If he were to come right out and show himself as some sort of wretched monster, everyone would run in the other direction. So, being smart, Satan has used false worship with a Christian look alike to deceive the very elect.

Think about it. It is not the unbelievers who need to be deceived. Unless they have a life changing conversion, Satan already has them where he wants them. They have already been deceived. It is those people who believe in God that Satan wants to deceive. He wants them for his own. The Bible says:

“For there shall arise false christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.”

Matthew 24:24

     Jesus requires us to obey Him. No one who is sincere will be lost. A man who is dying and realizes he has sinned against God and has a repentant heart will be in heaven. Jesus told the thief on the cross:

“Verily, I say unto thee today, shalt thou be with me in paradise.”  Luke 23:43

     However, as we have seen, those who are converted, those who proclaim to love Jesus are to keep His commandments. Unfortunately, not everyone who claims to love God will be in His kingdom. We are told:

“Not everyone that saith unto me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter into the kingdom of Heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” Matthew 7:21- 23

     What is iniquity? In the New Testament “iniquity” means “the condition of one without law,” “lawlessness” (so translated in 1 John 3:4, elsewhere “iniquity,” e.g. Mt 7:23). (Source: bible-history.com)

There will be many who say they are Christians who have never taken the time to seek out God’s will for their life. In the last days there will be a “falling away.”

“Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first.”

1 Thessalonians 2:3

     Jesus told us the following parable:

“The Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field. But that night as everyone slept, his enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat. When the crop began to grow and produce grain, the weeds also grew.

The farmer’s servants came and told him, ‘Sir, the field where you planted that good seed is full of weeds!’ ‘An enemy has done it!’ the farmer exclaimed. ‘Shall we pull out the weeds?’ they asked.

He replied, ‘No, you’ll hurt the wheat if you do. Let both grow together until the harvest. Then I will tell the harvesters to sort out the weeds and burn them and to put the wheat in the barn.’” Matthew 13:24 – 30 (NLT)

     In the parable above, the wheat, of course, represents God’s true believers. However, they are many “tares” growing along side the wheat! The wheat represents those who are the “remnant” left at the end when Jesus returns to take His people home.

“And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God.” Revelation 12:17

A Forgotten Promise: Part Five

If It Were Not So: A Forgotten Promise – Part Five

Isaiah 66:23

“And it shall come to pass… from one Sabbath to another, all flesh shall come to worship before Me.” 

The seventh argument people use against Sabbath keeping is: “After all these years, haven’t the days of the week been changed? Do we really know which day is the seventh day?”

No, the days of the week have not changed. In fact the days of the week have remained the same throughout history. Since the beginning of time God’s people, including Moses and the Jews, people have been following the weekly cycle and keeping every seventh day holy to God. Our weekly cycle is the same now as it was during Jesus’ life.

     The change of Sabbath worship to Sunday did not happen immediately following Jesus’ death. In fact it was several hundred years before Christians began worshiping on Sunday (the day of the Sun) instead of the seventh day.

As I said before, no where in the Bible can be found a command to change the day of worship to Sunday.  What do different church leaders say about God’s Law?

“We believe that the law of God is the eternal and imperishable rule of His moral government.” Baptist Church Manual

 

“The first four commandments set forth man’s obligations toward God… the fourth commandment sets forth God’s claim on man’s time and thought… Not one of the ten [commandments] is of merely racial significance… The Sabbath was established originally in no special connection with the Hebrews, but as an institution for all mankind, in commemoration of God’s rest after six days of creation. It was designed for all the descendants of Adam.” Adult Quarterly, SBC series, Aug. 15, 1937

 

       Melissa’s Note: Jesus said, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”  Matthew 22:37-40

 

“There was and is a commandment to keep holy the Sabbath day, but that Sabbath day was not Sunday… It will be said, however, and with some triumph, that the Sabbath was transferred from the seventh day to the first day of the week… Where can the record of such a transaction be found? Not in the New Testament – absolutely not. There is no Scriptural evidence of the change of the Sabbath institution from the seventh day to the first day of the week.

“To me [it] seems unaccountable that Jesus, during His three years ‘ intercourse with His disciples, often conversing with them upon the Sabbath question… never alluded to any transference of the day; also that during forty days of His resurrection life, no such thing was intimated.

“Of course, I quite well know that Sunday did come into use in early Christian history as a religious day, as we learn from the Christian fathers and other sources. But what a pity that it comes branded with the mark of paganism, and christened with the name of the sun god, when adopted  and sanctioned by the papa; apostasy, and bequeathed as a sacred legacy to Protestanism!” Dr. Edward T. Hiscox, author of the Baptist Manual (still in print) in a paper read before New York ministers’ conference held Nov. 13, 1893.

 

Dwight L. Moody said this, “The Sabbath was binding in Eden, and it has been in force ever since. The fourth commandment begins with the word ‘remember,’ showing that the Sabbath already existed when God wrote the law on the tables of stone at Sinai. How can men claim that this one commandment has been done away when they will admit that the other nine are still binding?” Weighed and Wanting, p. 47

 

“The moral law contained in the Ten Commandments, and enforced by the prophets, He [Christ] did not take away. It was not the design of His coming to revoke any part of this. This is a law which never can be broken…Every part of this law must remain in force upon all mankind and in all ages; as not depending either on time or place, or any other circumstances liable to change, but on the nature of God and the nature of man, and their un­changeable relation to each other.” John Wesley, Sermons on Several Occasions, Vol. I, Sermon XXV.

 

“I wonder exceedingly how it came to be imputed to me that I should reject the law of Ten Commandments…Whosoever abrogates the law must of necessity abrogate sin also.” Martin Luther, Spiritual Antichrist,” pages 71, 72.

 

“We must not imagine that the coming of Christ has freed us from the authority of the law; for it is the eternal rule of a devout and holy life, and must therefore be as unchangeable as the justice of God, which it embraced, is constant and uniform.” John Calvin, Commentary on a Harmony of the Gospels, Vol. 1, page 277.

 

What I don’t understand is that if the leaders of churches knew the law was still in effect, why they didn’t stand up for their beliefs? Preachers every where know that the seventh day is the true Sabbath. And yet, they do not proclaim it to their congregations. One day we noticed the sign outside of a local (Sunday-keeping) Church. It read:

It’s the Ten Commandments,

Not the Ten Suggestions!

 

Again, the Bible says:

“And hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He that saith, ‘I know Him,’ and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth His Word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in Him. He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked.” 1 John 2:3- 6

     Nearly every denomination admits that the law is still binding. The first annual Ten Commandments Day was on May 7, 2006. Why bother celebrating this day, if you don’t really believe in keeping all ten? When you go to their website www.tencommandmentsday.com and the very first thing you see are these words written in red:

Finally, a day in which we can come together and celebrate  God’s eternal moral law.

     These Christian men and women of the Ten Commandment Commission do not really believe in keeping the fourth commandment. Why not call it “Nine Commandments Day?” And yet they claim that they believe His law is eternal!

I am committed to taking a stand for what I believe. I know without a shadow of a doubt that the Bible is true – every bit of it. I know that God does not change and that His holy law is eternal. We will worship on the Sabbath in heaven!

“And it shall come to pass… from one Sabbath to another, all flesh shall come to worship before Me.” Isaiah 66:23

     There is coming a day when the whole world will look with wonder at the antichrist – when the deceived will worship him. I know from Scripture that God’s people in the last days will be a commandment keeping people. I want to be a part of those people. I want my loved ones to be a part of those people as well. There may come a day when we cannot contact one another – that we are cut off. I want to know that my family is making the right decision.

I have noticed an alarming trend. There are more and more books coming out just in the last few years about keeping Sunday as a day of rest. You may have seen these books in you local Christian book store. Titles such as The Rest of God: Restoring Your Soul by Restoring Sabbath and Sabbath Keeping: Finding Freedom in the Rhythms of Rest.

     These books are encouraging people to keep the Sabbath rest on Sunday. These authors are deceiving Christians into believing that Sunday is an important day of rest and worship when the Bible clearly says that the day of rest and worship is the seventh day.

The book synopsis of Sabbath Keeping: Finding Freedom in the Rhythms of Rest says this:

While Sabbath-keeping is commanded in the Bible, God intends it as a reminder of freedom and abundant life. Baab suggests that Christians customize their Sabbath: All are called to cease from work, but one person’s work could be another person’s play. (Baab also says the Sabbath may involve freedom from multitasking, technology, media, shopping, competition, talking and anxiety.) Also, she says, the day for the observance does not matter, as long as it is consistent. Baab covers the scriptural reasons for Sabbath observance, but the best sections of this work deal with the personal and the practical. Her account of living (and keeping the Sabbath) in Iran, Israel and the United States instructs and fascinates. One particularly helpful chapter about creating a Sabbath celebration offers tips about making the day special. Winsome, passionate and persuasive, this will convince many Christians of the continuing relevance of the Fourth Commandment.

Do you really want to follow man and not God? That is the prominent question in my own mind. I mean, who is this author to say it does not matter what you do, when you do it, or how you do it, when the Bible says something entirely different? God didn’t just say ‘Do not work on the Sabbath.’ Certainly one persons work is another person’s play; however, God said, “Remember the Sabbath, to keep it holy.” I would hardly think that going shopping if that relaxes you or renovating the house because you enjoy it is really keeping the Sabbath holy. Rather, it is doing ones own pleasure on the Sabbath day, which God asks us not to do.

“…turn away… from doing thy pleasure on My holy day…” Isaiah 58:13

     God did not say, ‘Pick a day to worship me – whenever it is convenient for you.’ No, He said, ‘The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God.’

This does not mean you can’t have fun on the Sabbath or enjoy the day. It is lawful to do well on the Sabbath. There are so many things to do on the Sabbath – it would take weeks to do them all! Our favorite things to do on the Sabbath are going to church, fellowshipping with other Sabbath keepers, taking walks, going to the park for a picnic, or visiting people in our community. On Friday evening or even as the Sabbath comes to a close, one of my favorite events is Vespers. It is so wonderful to come together with other believers to welcome or close the Sabbath with songs and prayer and devotion. Not to mention the food and fellowship. What a blessing! The Sabbath should be a celebration of time with our Creator. The foundation is being laid for Christians to accept that Sunday is the day of worship and be deceived in the last days.

Come back tomorrow for Part Six of A Forgotten Promise, part of the If It Were Not So… Series.

A Forgotten Promise: Part Four

If It Were Not So: A Forgotten Promise – Part Four

1 Peter 2:21

“Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow in his footsteps.” 

The sixth argument I often here is, “My family has always gone to _____ church and they were good people. I don’t need to change.” Or as the wife of our local Baptist preacher said, “We don’t need any more truth.”      And yet, the Bible tells us that:

“Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” James 4:17

     In other words, there are a lot of well meaning people who really don’t know any better. It is not sin for them, because they have not been shown any different. But for those who have been shown the truth, once they refuse to accept it, they are now committing a sin. It is so hard to change old habits. I have seen so many people who don’t want to change churches simply because all the people they love go there. Jesus never said that following in His footsteps would be easy. However, the Bible says:

“Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow in his footsteps.” 1 Peter 2:21

“I am the way, the truth, the life…” John 14:6

“Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”

Matthew 7:14

     Jesus was also emphatic that we not hold to the traditions of men that we forsake the commandments of God:

“Their worship is a farce, for they replace God’s commands with their own man-made teachings.” Matthew 15:9 (NLT)

     If we reject God’s truth when he shows it to us, we are in danger of believing a lie. The Bible says:

“…because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them a strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” 2 Thessalonians 2:11

 

     Satan is not happy when we worship God – he wants that worship. The fourth commandment is about worshiping our Creator. So, Satan has done all that he can to ensure that Christians are mistaken about the day of worship. Speaking of the beast of Revelation 13:

“He shall… think to change the times and the law.” Daniel 7:25

     What frightens me the most about this world deception is that while there is time now to follow God’s commandments, there will come a day when it will be too late to follow the right path. We know how much Satan wants to deceive each and every Christian. The Bible tells us:

“There shall arise a false christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders in so much that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.”

Matthew 24:24

     Satan is waiting to deceive God’s chosen people! You cannot fully understand Bible prophecy if you do not understand the Sabbath or keep all of God’s commandments. Once you understand that all Satan really wants is to take away the worship of God, the books of Daniel and Revelation suddenly become so simple to understand! The fourth commandment is the only commandment that requires us to worship our Creator. Satan desires our worship. Speaking of Lucifer, the Bible tells us that:

“For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High.” Isaiah 14:13

 

    Come back tomorrow for Part Five of A Forgotten Promise, part of the If It Were Not So… Series.

A Forgotten Promise: Part Three

If It Were Not So: A Forgotten Promise – Part Three

Hebrews 8:10

“For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people.” 

The fifth argument that people will use to justify Sunday-keeping instead of Sabbath keeping is that Jesus was raised from the dead on Sunday and this is why Sunday is now called “The Lord’s Day.” This argument is meant to suggest that by going to church on Sunday, Christians are remembering the resurrection.

This sounds nice on the surface. After all, what Jesus did on the cross that day was the single most important event in history. Yet, NO WHERE in the Bible did Jesus ever even hint that after his death and resurrection that we as Christians were to change the day of worship to Sunday in memory of his resurrection. You cannot find a single instance that Jesus ever went to church on a Sunday.

As Christians, we are not called to “keep a day” as a symbol of His death and resurrection. Rather, we are called to be baptized.

“Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.” Colossians 2:12

 

     So, you say, “Jesus was Jewish.” And I ask, “Does that really matter?” Jesus kept the Sabbath each week of his entire life here on earth. The Sabbath was not given to the Jewish people alone. It was made for all mankind. The Sabbath day was sanctified on the seventh day of Creation.

“And he said unto them, The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.” Mark 2:27

“And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.” Genesis 2:3

“And he said unto them, This is that which the LORD hath said, To morrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the LORD: bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning.” Exodus 16:23

 

     Jesus showed people what it really meant to keep the Sabbath. He showed us that keeping the Sabbath was not about keeping the letter of the law (as in do not spit on the Sabbath because you will be watering the plants), but that it was about worshiping God and doing good.

“For it is lawfull to do good on the Sabbath.”

Matthew 12:12

     He went out of his way to heal on the Sabbath. The rulers had made the Sabbath such a burden that no one was able to “call the Sabbath a delight.” Jesus showed us that we should delight in His holy day.

The Bible tells us that the Lord’s day is in fact, the Sabbath or the seventh day:

“For the Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath day.” Matthew 12:8

“But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God.” Exodus 20: 10

     The Sabbath was given to us as a sign that God is our Creator. It is a reminder of the Creation and our Redeemer. The weekly cycle is the only part of our calendar that is not ruled by the seasons or by the lunar phases. This is because the weekly cycle was created by God.

“Moreover, I gave them my Sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctify them.” Ezekiel 20:12

     Early believers, including the Gentiles, continued to worship on the Sabbath. In fact, Matthew 24 is a dual prophecy where Jesus spoke of the fall of Jerusalem 40 years later and of the end of days saying:

“And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come… And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath.” Matthew 24: 20

     He expected His followers to be keeping the Sabbath 40 years after His resurrection!

He expected Believers to be keeping His holy Sabbath during the last days of tribulation. He knew how hard it can be to keep the Sabbath holy if you are on the run. But God’s people will be keeping the Sabbath and all of God’s commandments in the last days.  In fact, Revelation tells us:

“Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.” Revelation 14:12

“And the dragon (the devil) was wroth with the woman (the true church) and went to make war with the remnant  of her seed, which keep the commandments of God.” Revelation 12:17

“Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.” Revelation 22:14

     Come back tomorrow for Part Four of A Forgotten Promise, part of the If It Were Not So… Series.

A Forgotten Promise: Part Two

If It Were Not So: A Forgotten Promise – Part Two

John 14:15

 “If you love me, keep my commandments.”

The second argument that people will site for not keeping the Sabbath is that keeping the Sabbath is legalistic and no one can “work their way to heaven” so it doesn’t really matter which day we go to church.

I agree that no can work their way to heaven. The only thing that makes us righteous before God is Jesus’ blood covering our sins. HE is the way, the truth, and the life. Jesus is the only way.

Our belief in Him, our relationship with Him, is all that can ultimately save us from eternal death. However just because we are saved by grace does not give us license to break God’s holy law. One would never say it was okay to kill or steal or commit adultery, so why would anyone say it is okay to break God’s fourth commandment?

What did Jesus say? The Bible says:

 “If you love me, keep my commandments.” John 14:15

 “He who says, ‘I know him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.”

1 John 2:4

 

     And that is not all the Bible says about commandment keeping. God never changes and so,  He promises:

 “If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on My holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy day of the Lord honorable, and shall honor Him, not doing your own ways, nor finding you own pleasure, nor speaking your own words, then you shall delight yourself in the Lord; and I will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth, and feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father.”

Isaiah 58:13,14

     The third argument that people use when trying to justify not keeping the Sabbath is that Jesus’ death on the cross did away with the law. When Jesus died, he did do away with the ceremonial laws such as sacrificing an unblemished lamb. The reason these laws were done away with is because they each pointed to Jesus. Once Jesus had died for our sins we no longer needed to transfer our sins to a sacrificial lamb because our sins were now transferred to Christ Himself.

God’s holy law, the Ten Commandments, have always been and always will be. His holy law is eternal, never changing. The Bible tells us:

“Do not think that I came to destroy the law.”

 Matthew 5:17

“It is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail.” Luke 16:17

“Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.” Ecclesiastes 12:13

“For sin shall not have dominion over you: for you are not under the law, but under grace. What then? Shall we sin (break the law) because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.” Romans 6:14, 15

“Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea we establish the law.” Romans 3:31

“For I am the LORD, I change not…” Malachi 3:6

     Would God really change His mind about the Sabbath? Would He change His mind… and then forget to mention it in His Word?

As believers we have an even higher standard to meet. We, as Christ’s followers are to be the shining example in a world that is sinful. We have a great responsibility to uphold the law of God.

It’s like this: Let’s say you are driving along, over the speed limit, and a police officer pulls you over. You know you did wrong and you tell the officer you are sorry. He forgives you and rather than issue a ticket warns you not to speed again. Are you going to pull back out on the road and speed off? Or are you going to obey the speed limit? You are now under the officer’s grace, and you are thankful so you obey the law. The law is still there. You still have broken the law, but you were forgiven.

Christians have a double obligation to keep God’s law! We are to be an example of holy living to the rest of the world.

     The fourth argument people use to say that we do not need to keep the fourth commandment is that as sinners it is impossible to keep God’s law so why try. This is a little ridiculous because if you asked someone if it was possible to not kill or not steal or not commit adultery they would say, “Yes!” You see, no one has a problem with the 1^st commandment or the 10^th commandment or any of the ones in between except the fourth.

No one is perfect. In fact everyone born since the time of Adam and Eve has been born a sinner. The book of Romans tells us that “all have fallen short.” So we all are in need of a Savior.

Since we are all sinners, does that mean we cannot keep the law or should not do our best to keep God’s law? As believers it seems to me that we should do everything we can to keep God’s law and when we fall short we should repent and do our best to do better in the future. The Bible says:

“If you love me, keep my commandments.” John 14:15

“For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.” 1 John 5:3

“I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts.” Hebrews 8:10

“I can do all things through Christ.” Philippians 4:13

“Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God.” Revelation 14:12

 

What is so wonderful about having a relationship with Jesus is that it causes us to desire His will. We want to obey Him. Keeping God’s law to the best of our ability is something we do because of the awesome gift He gave to us. Jesus died a horrible death – for me! The least I can do is do what he asks of me as best as I can.

By keeping God’s law, we are showing the world our faith.  By obeying God we are demonstrating our faith. The Bible tells us that:

“But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, ‘Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.’ And he was called the friend of God. You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.” James 2:20- 24

     I find the above passage amazing. As Christians we have an obligation to do more than simply believe there is a God or that Jesus died so that I might have eternal life. For even Satan knows what Jesus has done. Satan does not have the will to obey God’s law – that is why he fell in the first place.

“Do you still think it’s enough just to believe that there is one God? Well, even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror! Fool! When will you ever learn that a faith that does not result in good deeds is useless?”

James 2:19-20 (NLT)

Come back tomorrow for Part Three of A Forgotten Promise, part of the If It Were Not So… Series.

A Forgotten Promise: Part One

If It Were Not So: A Forgotten Promise – Part One

Isaiah 58:14

“Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.”

     The Bible is filled with many beautiful promises. So often when we are reading Scripture, we forget to really look at God’s promises. There are many instances in which God has given us conditional promises – i.e. If you do this… I will do this… The Sabbath day is one such promise.

I was not taught about the fourth commandment as a child. Yes, I read the 10 Commandments. I heard them spoken of. I knew it was important to keep God’s law. But I was also taught other things. I was taught that God’s law was not eternal. I was taught that His law had been nailed to the cross and was not longer truly applicable in my life.

It was not until I met my future husband, Mykal, who believed in following all of God’s Commandments that I began to understand – really understand – God’s plan for this world. Mykal was a Sabbath keeper. In other words, he kept the seventh-day Sabbath just as Jesus did during His life here on earth. It was something I had never studied and so I began an exciting foray into the Scriptures to learn just what God wanted me to understand. It was then that I realized how much I wanted to live a Biblical life. To really follow the Word of God and not the ideas of men.

The Sabbath has become such a beautiful, integral part of my life. It is hard to explain, but it is the highlight of my week. I look forward to the Sabbath above any other event or celebration in my life. The Sabbath is a 24 hour period set aside solely to worship my Savior and focus on my family without the pressures of work or other matters in life. For 24 hours, we can come aside to simply be with our Creator, the one who gives each of us the breath of life.

Most people do not want to take the time to follow God’s commandments. It is easier to continue in the path they have been following their entire lives. However, once a person realizes and understands the blessing that the Sabbath presents, their lives are changed forever.

Over the last few years I have noticed a number of common arguments or assumptions used by people when I discuss the Sabbath with them. I decided to simply go through each one here. I want to be clear and make no assumptions on my own part so that you can see what the Bible has to say on this subject.

From the Bible we know that God’s law, the Ten Commandments were special. They were different from the Mosaic laws which showed the Israelites how to keep the law. The Israelites were a very stubborn people who easily forgot how much God had done for them. The Mosaic laws were needed to remind them of the wretchedness of sin.

The Ten Commandments were written by God’s own finger. The stone tablets were placed inside the ark of the covenant and the Mosaic laws were placed on the outside of the ark. This showed God’s people the sacredness of God’s law. God told us that His words would not be altered or changed.

  “My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.” Psalm 89:34

 

     When I first began keeping the Sabbath, it was hard. I was so used to being busy, that I had to force myself to stop. Just STOP. No TV, no shopping, nothing secular, no work, no housework, etc. The Bible says:

 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days thou shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work … For in six days the Lord made the heavens and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.” Exodus 20:8-11

     Most people will say that the Sabbath is for the Jews only. However, you can see in the verses above that God blessed the Sabbath day at the time of Creation – before the Jewish people existed. God knew we would forget and he asked us to remember.

God’s law has always been and always will be. It is the law of Heaven. When Satan fell, it was because he had broken God’s law. We know this because without God’s holy law there can be no sin. The law tells us what sin is. The Bible says:

 “Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” Romans 3:20

 “… for sin is the transgression of the law.” 1 John 3:4

 

     We know that Abraham kept God’s commandments.

 “Abraham obeyed My voice, and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.” Genesis 26:5

     And if God’s law was not in existence at the time of creation, how would Cain have known that killing his brother was a sin? He knew because sin is the transgression of the law.

It is impossible to commit a sin and not break one of God’s laws. The Bible tells us that:

 “The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul.” Psalm 19:7

 “I delight to do your will, O my God, and Your law is within my heart.” Psalm 40:8

“Happy is he who keeps the law.” Proverbs 29:18

Come back tomorrow for Part Two of A Forgotten Promise!

What is Heaven Like?

Have you ever dreamed of heaven? I love to talk about what heaven might be like. Especially with my children. We imagine what kinds of things we’ll get to do in heaven, pets we want to have, etc. I mean, have you ever really thought about heaven? A lot of people think it will be boring, that we’ll float around and play harps or lead meaningless lives. But that is far from the truth.

One of my favorite things “to do” when I get to heaven is to swim under water with the dolphins. Can you imagine? No drowning in heaven!

I love my horses here. They bring me a lot of joy. But, wow, in heaven, I won’t have to muck out stall, clean horse feet, or worry about hay, feed, blankets, and water in the winter. Joy!

The Bible tells us quite a bit about heaven, but I think the descriptions will pale in comparison to the real thing.

 

1. God has prepared a place for us that is far greater than anything we could think of on our own! “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” 1 Corinthians 2: 9
2. We won’t have to worry about violence or destruction there. “Violence shall no more be heard in your land, devastation or destruction within your borders; you shall call your walls Salvation, and your gates Praise.” Isaiah 60:18
3. All the animals will be friendly! “The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them.” Isaiah 11:6
4. There will be no more disabilities. “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy.” Isaiah 35:5,6
5. We will build houses! I will eventually have my ultimate dream home! Plus, we will enjoy working with our hands and the work will not be in vain. Things will work out right and never go wrong. And those of us with black thumbs will finally get green ones. I plan to have a big garden in heaven! “They shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit. They shall not build and another inhabit; they shall not plant and another eat; for like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be, and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands.” Isaiah 65:21,22
6. We will gather for worship each Sabbath. “From new moon to new moon, and from Sabbath to Sabbath, all flesh shall come to worship before me,declares the LORD.” Isaiah 66:23
7. We will eat from the tree of life! “Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.” Revelation 22:1,2
8. We will get to see God face to face. Glory! “They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.” Revelation 22:4
9. There will be no more pain, sorrow, sickness, or death!! “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” Revelation 21:4
10. We’ll get to sit down and have a chat with Adam and Eve or Abraham or even Noah and Moses! King David! Esther! Ruth! Oh, and Matthew, Mark, Luke and John! Who do you want to talk to? “I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 8:11
    

 

The Bible also tells us that the New Jerusalem will be adorned as a bride. Beautiful!

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.” Revelation 21:1-3

1. The city of God is about the size of the state of Colorado. It is the shape of a cube: about 350 miles wide, 350 miles long, and 350 miles high! Plenty of room for everyone who wants to go! ” The city lies foursquare, its length the same as its width. And he measured the city with his rod, 12,000 stadia. Its length and width and height are equal.” Revelation 21:16
2. The foundation are named after the twelve apostles. “And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.” Revelation 21:14
3. Its gates are made of giant pearls and the streets are made of pure gold like transparent glass!“And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, transparent as glass.” Revelation 21:21

I hope you are as excited about seeing heaven and living there with Jesus forever as I am! I hope you’ll be there!

My Sabbath Bag – Activity Bags for Church Worship

For a long time I have wanted to make quiet activity bags for the children in our churches to use during the worship hour. I have been planning to make a stash of them that I can pass out to children as they arrive or to guests with children to use during church.

It occurred to me a few days ago (while again sitting in church watching little ones squirm) that a personalized bag for little ones would make a really nice Christmas gift.

I am sharing this idea with you, even though I have not actually made one yet! My idea is to take a plain canvas bag and decorate it with acrylic paint and use a fabric paint pen to write the child’s name on it along with the words “My Sabbath Bag.” Then, I would fill it up with some activities to keep them occupied during the quiet worship hour.However, making generic bags for all the kids in your church would be just as much fun! The bags can be as expensive or as inexpensive as you want to make them.

Here are some ideas to put into the bag:

• I Spy Bottles or Bags
• eeboo Children of the World Lacing Cards – or other themes
• Baby Moses Board Book or Other Bible Story Books
• Bible Activity Books
• Craft Stick Puzzles – kept in a easy zip top baggie
• Small Clipboard
• easy zip top baggie of crayons
• magnetic dollhouse – my girls loved this!
• puzzles
• a small stuffed animal

Really the possibilities are endless! I would suggest that you keep the items in the bag in keeping with the holy Sabbath day, but other than that, I think these could be so much fun to put together. If you do these for the children in your church, you could hang them on hooks in the bag of the sanctuary or in the foyer of the church, or have the Sabbath School teacher pass them out as the children leave class.

Oh, and one more tip – if you make a collection of these bags for your church, it would be important to number the bags and then place a corresponding number on each item that goes into the bag. You can make the bags all different so that the children don’t get bored with having the same exact bags each week!

It was a bright and sunny day…

We had a very nice church service with a baby dedication and wonderful fellowship. The weather was perfect. Not too hot, just right. Hannah and Laura found two ring neck snakes (one baby, one adult). All four of the girls were wearing new, pretty dresses. We left church about 4:00 and set off on our 2 1/2 hour drive home.

As we were driving through Jenkins, Kentucky, Hannah says, “Can we stop and get a lily pad?” The pond there in Jenkins is full of thousands of lily pads right now. Hannah really wanted a lily pad. So daddy parked the car and I got out with the four girls and walked down to the bank.

I looked out at the lily pads which were not right against the bank and said, “Hannah, I don’t think we can get one. We can’t reach them.”

Hannah says, “I can do it!” and proceeds to try to climb down to the edge of the water to lean and stretch.

I said, “Hannah, you’re wearing your new dress and it’s going to get wet.” (The dress is a long one.)

Sarah pipes up (bravely) and says, “Oh, I’ll do it.”

Sarah bent down and leaned. She still couldn’t reach the lily pads so I grabbed her hand to keep her steady…

Sarah: “I can’t reach.”

Me: (grabbing her hand) “I’ve got you.”

Sarah: “A little bit more foreward.”

Me: “What?”

Sarah: “I said, lean me a little more forward.”

Me: (leaning forward)

Me: (thinking) I’m going to lose my balance. I should have Emily grab my other hand.

Me: (gasp, losing my balance!) (over compensating and falling backwards)

Sarah: (losing grip of my hand) (splash! head first into the pond in her brand new dress!) GAAAASSSPPP!

Me, Emily, Hannah, and Laura: (staring at Sarah in the pond, our mouths hanging open!!)

Okay, so in my defense, it happened really fast and it could have happened to anyone!! Really!

How Deep the Father’s Love for Us

Church was canceled this morning because of the foot of snow on the ground. So… I have spent the morning watching 3ABN. New Perceptions from Andrews University – Pioneer Memorial Church came on a bit ago and the choir sang this song. I love this song!

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

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