The Desire of Ages--29--The Sabbath

[Richard Myers]

Amen, amen, and amen!! Such unity!!

At the very beginning of our reading today, we read:

  Because He had rested upon the Sabbath, "God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it,"--set it apart to a holy use. He gave it to Adam as a day of rest. It was a memorial of the work of creation, and thus a sign of God's power and His love. The Scripture says, "He hath made His wonderful works to be remembered." "The things that are made," declare "the invisible things of Him since the creation of the world," "even His everlasting power and divinity." Genesis 2:3; Psalm 111:4; Romans 1:20, R. V.

We are a forgetful people. God has given us a day that we do not forget what He has done for us. We remember His creative power which is even more important for us sinners than for Adam before his fall. It was easy for God to create Adam,  but it is impossible for God alone to recreate us. He needs our cooperation. Then we can count on His creative power to recreate us in His image (2 Cor. 3:18).  How does He do this? Through the Spirit revealing His grace. By holding His great love, His character we are indeed transformed from sinner to saint. We need to remember all of this that we not forget He wants to live in us continually. If we let our minds wander away, then have no protection from the smallest temptation. We end up in the water as did Peter when he took his eyes off of Jesus.

[Pastor Sean Brizendine]

Praise God for the gift of Sabbath rest each seventh day which we can truly experience as we surrender to Christ's power to make us holy! When the whole heart is yielded to Jesus, He comes to abide in us by the Holy Spirit, filling the life with all of the fruits of the Spirit without one missing, empowering the soul to live in affectionate obedience to all of God's commandments!

"And the Lord says, 'If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on My holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honorable; ... then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord.' Isaiah 58:13, 14. To all who receive the Sabbath as a sign of Christ's creative and redeeming power, it will be a delight. Seeing Christ in it, they delight themselves in Him. The Sabbath points them to the works of creation as an evidence of His mighty power in redemption. While it calls to mind the lost peace of Eden, it tells of peace restored through the Saviour. And every object in nature repeats His invitation, 'Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.' Matthew 11:28." {The Desire of Ages, page 289, paragraph 1}

Heaven begins in the soul that is truly converted. We can have a foretaste of heaven each Sabbath as we anticipate the second coming and remember that Christ is WELL ABLE to save to the uttermost all who come unto God by Him!

[Richard Myers]

Amen Pastor Sean!  How many times do we need to repeat this message? Many.

Because He had rested upon the Sabbath, "God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it,"--set it apart to a holy use. He gave it to Adam as a day of rest. It was a memorial of the work of creation, and thus a sign of God's power and His love. The Scripture says, "He hath made His wonderful works to be remembered." "The things that are made," declare "the invisible things of Him since the creation of the world," "even His everlasting power and divinity." Genesis 2:3; Psalm 111:4; Romans 1:20, R. V.......

     "Wherefore the Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath." These words are full of instruction and comfort. Because the Sabbath was made for man, it is the Lord's day. It belongs to Christ. For "all things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made." John 1:3. Since He made all things, He made the Sabbath. By Him it was set apart as a memorial of the work of creation. It points to Him as both the Creator and the Sanctifier. It declares that He who created all things in heaven and in earth, and by whom all things hold together, is the head of the church, and that by His power we are reconciled to God. For, speaking of Israel, He said, "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,"--make them holy. Ezekiel 20:12. Then the Sabbath is a sign of Christ's power to make us holy. And it is given to all whom Christ makes holy. As a sign of His sanctifying power, the Sabbath is given to all who through Christ become a part of the Israel of God. 

[Beacon]

"Since He made all things, He made the Sabbath."
 "By Him it was set apart as a memorial of the work of creation."

"It points to Him as both the Creator and the Sanctifier."

"It declares that He who created all things in heaven and in earth, and by whom all things hold together, is the head of the church, and that by His power we are reconciled to God."

For, speaking of Israel, He said, "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,"--make them holy. Ezekiel 20:12

"Then the Sabbath is a sign of Christ's power to make us holy."

"And it is given to all whom Christ makes holy. As a sign of His sanctifying power, the Sabbath is given to all who through Christ become a part of the Israel of God."

Isn't Amazing then that the vast majority reject His wonderful gift of the 7th daySabbath?? What will "Our" answer be ??
======================

1

Take my life, and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee;
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise,

2
Take my hands, and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love;
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee,

3
Take my voice, and let me sing
Always, only, for my King;
Take my lips, and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee,

4
Take my silver and my gold;
Not a mite would I withhold;
Take my intellect, and use
Every power as Thou shalt choose,

5
Take my will, and make it Thine;
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart; it is Thine own;
It shall be Thy royal throne,

6
Take my love; my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure-store.
Take myself, and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee,

Lyrics:Frances Ridley Havergal (1836-1879)
Music:Henri Abraham Cesar Malan (1787-1864)

[Philip T]

     "Wherefore the Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath." These words are full of instruction and comfort. Because the Sabbath was made for man, it is the Lord's day. It belongs to Christ. For "all things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made." John 1:3. Since He made all things, He made the Sabbath. By Him it was set apart as a memorial of the work of creation. It points to Him as both the Creator and the Sanctifier. It declares that He who created all things in heaven and in earth, and by whom all things hold together, is the head of the church, and that by His power we are reconciled to God. For, speaking of Israel, He said, "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,"--make them holy. Ezekiel 20:12. Then the Sabbath is a sign of Christ's power to make us holy. And it is given to all whom Christ makes holy. As a sign of His sanctifying power, the Sabbath is given to all who through Christ become a part of the Israel of God.

    The sabbath a day of rest made by God, to be a memorial to His creation, and also as a time to remember Jesus as our savior/redeemer.

[Beacon]

" No other institution which was committed to the Jews tended so fully to distinguish them from surrounding nations as did the Sabbath."

"God designed that its observance should designate them as His worshipers".

" It was to be a token of their separation from idolatry, and their connection with the true God."

"But in order to keep the Sabbath holy, men must themselves be holy."

"Through faith they must become partakers of the righteousness of Christ."

"When the command was given to Israel, "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy," the Lord said also to them, "Ye shall be holy men unto Me." Exodus 20:8;  22:31."

" Only thus could the Sabbath distinguish Israel as the worshipers of God."

"As the Jews departed from God, and failed to make the righteousness of Christ their own by faith, the Sabbath lost its significance to them."

"Satan was seeking to exalt himself and to draw men away from Christ, and he worked to pervert the Sabbath, because it is the sign of the power of Christ."

" The Jewish leaders accomplished the will of Satan by surrounding God's rest day with burdensome requirements."

" In the days of Christ the Sabbath had become so perverted that its observance reflected the character of selfish and arbitrary men rather than the character of the loving heavenly Father."

It makes me both sad and angry, to see that Satan is trying very hard to affect God's Remnant church in the same way in our own generation. Lets make sure that "WE" are not one of his helpers. Jesus said " You are either for me or against me " there is no middle ground. Who's side will "YOU" choose to  represent.

==================================


Here's My Heart oh take and seal it for Thy courts  Above
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FU1u6Lmz27A

[Richard Myers]

Amen, dear brother Beacon! ! Satan has done today what he did to Israel. Many years ago he perverted the gospel message so that many have no understanding of the loveliness of Jesus and the power of grace to transform sinners into saints.

The sabbath was given to us that we might remember how much God loves us. In nature, we see what God gave us when He created this world. And he spoke all things into existence, so we also see His great power. We need to know of His great power because we are dependent upon that power to keep His commandments.

   All things were created by the Son of God. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God. . . . All things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made." John 1:1-3. And since the Sabbath is a memorial of the work of creation, it is a token of the love and power of Christ.
     The Sabbath calls our thoughts to nature, and brings us into communion with the Creator. In the song of the bird, the sighing of the trees, and the music of the sea, we still may hear His voice who talked with Adam in Eden in the cool of the day. And as we behold His power in nature we find comfort, for the word that created all things is that which speaks life to the soul. He "who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." 2 Corinthians 4:6.

[Pastor Sean Brizendine]

Amen, Brother Beacon and Brother Richard! Praise God that He can gives us the grace and strength needed to face the deceptions of Satan with the light of the gospel.

Truth needs to be placed in the right framework. Jesus did that, and He invites us to do that, too!

"The Saviour had not come to set aside what patriarchs and prophets had spoken; for He Himself had spoken through these representative men. All the truths of God's word came from Him. But these priceless gems had been placed in false settings. Their precious light had been made to minister to error. God desired them to be removed from their settings of error and replaced in the framework of truth. This work only a divine hand could accomplish. By its connection with error, the truth had been serving the cause of the enemy of God and man. Christ had come to place it where it would glorify God, and work the salvation of humanity." {The Desire of Ages, page 287, paragraph 4}

As we receive the truth as it is in Jesus, all of the fruits of the Spirit without one missing will burst forth from the thoroughly converted life in rich profusion, taking away all wretched, miserable, poor, blind nakedness that is caused by sin and self-deception! Praise God for the goodness He lavishes upon us to woo us to heaven and lead us in the most blessed experience possible! Christ in the life--this is the power of the gospel for all who surrender unreservedly to Him and walk in true obedience to all of His commandments! Christ's ministry to restore the true purpose of the Sabbath and keep it according to God's law shows us the blessedness that comes from fulfilling the Father's will!

[Beacon]

"He who created all things in heaven and in earth, and by whom all things hold together, is the head of the church,

"By His power we are reconciled to God."

"Speaking of Israel, He said, "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,"--make them holy. Ezekiel 20:12."

"Then the Sabbath is a sign of Christ's power to make us holy."

"It is given to all whom Christ makes holy."

Please note : The Blessing of the Sabbath is given to "ALL" Whom Christ Makes Holy -- Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath.

"As a sign of His sanctifying power, the Sabbath is given to all who through Christ become apart of the Israel of God."

==========================
1
Beneath the cross of Jesus
  I fain would take my stand,
The shadow of a mighty Rock
  Within a weary land;
A home within the wilderness,
  A rest upon the way,
From the burning of the noontide heat,
  And the burden of the day.
2
Oh, safe and happy shelter!
  Oh, refuge tried and sweet!
Oh, trysting place where heaven’s love
  And heaven’s justice meet.
As to the holy patriarch
  That wondrous dream was given,
So is my Savior by the cross
  A ladder up to heaven.
3
There lies beneath its shadow,
  But on the farther side,
The darkness of an awful grave
  That gapes both deep and wide;
And there between us stands the cross,
  Two arms outstretched to save,
Like a watchman set to guard the way
  From that eternal grave.
4
Upon that cross of Jesus
  Mine eye at times can see
The very dying form of One,
  Who suffered there for me;
And from my smitten heart, with tears,
  Two wonders I confess,
The wonders of His glorious love,
  And my own worthlessness.
5
I take, O cross, thy shadow
  For my abiding place;
I ask no other sunshine than
  The sunshine of His face;
Content to let the world go by,
  To know no gain nor loss,
My sinful self my only shame,
  My glory all the cross.

Lyrics:Elizabeth Cecilia Clephane (1830-1869)
Music:Ira David Sankey (1840-1908

[Pastor Sean Brizendine]

Amen, Brother Beacon!!

What is your favorite part about the Sabbath? Each week at Friday sunset God reserves 24 blessed hours that He has sanctified for us to enjoy His holy presence because He has the power to make us holy!

“‘The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath,’ Jesus said. The institutions that God has established are for the benefit of mankind. ‘All things are for your sakes.’ ‘Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; and ye are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s.’ 2 Corinthians 4:15; 1 Corinthians 3:22, 23. The law of Ten Commandments, of which the Sabbath forms a part, God gave to His people as a blessing. ‘The Lord commanded us,’ said Moses, ‘to do all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God, for our good always, that He might preserve us alive.’ Deuteronomy 6:24. And through the psalmist the message was given to Israel, ‘Serve the Lord with gladness: come before His presence with singing. Know ye that the Lord He is God: it is He that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise.’ Psalm 100:2-4. And of all who keep ‘the Sabbath from polluting it,’ the Lord declares, ‘Even them will I bring to My holy mountain, and make them joyful in My house of prayer.’ Isaiah 56:6, 7. – {The Desire of Ages, page 288, paragraph 1}

When we experience true conversion by a complete surrender to Christ, the Sabbath becomes increasingly meaningful to us as all of the fruits of the Spirit are manifest in our character while also gladly obeying God’s law because Jesus lives in us, the hope of glory!

[Philip T]

    The Saviour had not come to set aside what patriarchs and prophets had spoken; for He Himself had spoken through these representative men. All the truths of God's word came from Him. But these priceless gems had been placed in false settings. Their precious light had been made to minister to error. God desired them to be removed from their settings of error and replaced in the framework of truth. This work only a divine hand could accomplish. By its connection with error, the truth had been serving the cause of the enemy of God and man. Christ had come to place it where it would glorify God, and work the salvation of humanity.

What is our reason for keeping the Sabbath, is it to glorify self, or glorify God. The Sabbath was created for man, and on this day we are to remember the creation of God, and the plan of Salvation, put in place before the foundation of the world. When we are doing this we are bringing glory to God, while resting. That is the purpose of the Sabbath, to bring glory to God.

[Beacon]

"The law of Ten Commandments, of which the Sabbath forms a part, God gave to His people as a blessing."

"The Lord commanded us,’ said Moses, ‘to do all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God, for our good always, that He might preserve us alive.’ Deuteronomy 6:24."

"Through the psalmist the message was given to Israel."

"Serve the Lord with gladness: come before His presence with singing."

"Know ye that the Lord He is God: it is He that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture." "

"Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise.’ Psalm 100:2-4." "

And of all who keep ‘the Sabbath from polluting it,’ the Lord declares, ‘Even them will I bring to My holy mountain, and make them joyful in My house of prayer.’ Isaiah 56:6, 7."

Are "WE" Keeping the Sabbath Holy?? Are we attending church services regularly? Do we remember that it is still Sabbath when we go home from church?? How do "WE" spend that 24 hr. period with God??
==========================

1
Lord, I believe a rest remains
  To all Thy people known;
A rest where pure enjoyment reigns,
  And Thou art loved alone.
2
A rest, where all our soul’s desire
  Is fixed on things above;
Where fear and sin and grief expire,
  Cast out by perfect love.
3
Oh, that I now the rest might know,
  Believe, and enter in;
Now, Savior, now the power bestow,
  And let me cease from sin.
4
Remove this hardness from my heart,
  This unbelief remove;
To me the rest of faith impart,
  The Sabbath of Thy love.
5
I would be Thine, Thou know’st I would,
  And have Thee all my own;
Thee, O my all-sufficient Good,
  I want, and Thee alone.

Lyrics:Charles Wesley (1707-1788
Music:William Henry Havergal (1793-1870)

[Dorine]

"Again Christ reiterated the truth that the sacrifices were in themselves of no value. They were a means, and not an end. Their object was to direct men to the Saviour, and thus to bring them into harmony with God. It is the service of love that God values. When this is lacking, the mere round of ceremony is an offense to Him. So with the Sabbath. It was designed to bring men into communion with God; but when the mind was absorbed with wearisome rites, the object of the Sabbath was thwarted. Its mere outward observance was a mockery."

By taking time each day to spend with Jesus in prayer and study we place ourselves in a position that God can fill us with His love for Him and in loving ministry to others. This love does not come from within us but from without. If we are trying to serve though our own power, ministry becomes a burden but when God has possession of our whole hearts, service becomes an uplifting joy. Sacrifices will be made but we do not perceive them as such.

[Pastor Sean Brizendine]

Amen, Brother Beacon and Sister Dorine!

God invites us into His rest--which is relational, based on a surrendered union and communion with Him. All things in nature are dependent upon God for life and all they are, and as we see the beauty God put in the created things, it is a blessing to remember that Christ invites us to rest in Him so He can beautify our characters after the similitude of His own character. All of the fruits of the Spirit without one missing are a revelation of the conversion experience that means true rest in the soul, enabling true obedience to all of God's commandments as a delight--including the Sabbath that begins each week at sunset on Friday, to be enjoyed and kept holy until sunset on Saturday night. God is so good!

"The Sabbath calls our thoughts to nature, and brings us into communion with the Creator. In the song of the bird, the sighing of the trees, and the music of the sea, we still may hear His voice who talked with Adam in Eden in the cool of the day. And as we behold His power in nature we find comfort, for the word that created all things is that which speaks life to the soul. He 'who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.' 2 Corinthians 4:6." {The Desire of Ages, page 281, paragraph 4}

The love of Christ uplifts us. It woos us to Him in ways that transcend human knowledge. The more we contemplate heavenly and eternal realities, the more we appreciate all God is to us! May you life reflect His beauty--each moment, and especially on Sabbath!

[Beacon]

"God gave the Sabbath to His people as a blessing."

"‘The Lord commanded us,’ said Moses, ‘to do all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God, for our good always, that He might preserve us alive.’ Deuteronomy 6:24."

Through the psalmist the message was given to Israel, ‘Serve the Lord with gladness: come before His presence with singing. Know ye that the Lord He is God: it is He that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise.’ Psalm 100:2-4."

"All who keep ‘the Sabbath from polluting it,’ the Lord declares, ‘Even them will I bring to My holy mountain, and make them joyful in My house of prayer.’ Isaiah 56:6, 7."

What wonderful promises!! Let "US" choose to Stand on the Promises of God.

============================
1
Standing on the promises of Christ my King,
Through eternal ages let His praises ring,
Glory in the highest, I will shout and sing,
  Standing on the promises of God.
    Standing, standing,
Standing on the promises of God my Savior;
Standing, standing,
  I’m standing on the promises of God.
2
Standing on the promises that cannot fail,
When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,
By the living Word of God I shall prevail,
  Standing on the promises of God.
3
Standing on the promises I now can see
Perfect, present cleansing in the blood for me;
Standing in the liberty where Christ makes free,
  Standing on the promises of God.
4
Standing on the promises of Christ the Lord,
Bound to Him eternally by love’s strong cord,
Overcoming daily with the Spirit’s sword,
  Standing on the promises of God.
5
Standing on the promises I shall not fall,
List’ning every moment to the Spirit’s call.
Resting in my Savior as my All in all,
  Standing on the promises of God.

Lyrics:Russell Kelso Carter (1849-1928)
Music:Russell Kelso Carter (1849-1928)

[Dorine]

"The Sabbath calls our thoughts to nature, and brings us into communion with the Creator. In the song of the bird, the sighing of the trees, and the music of the sea, we still may hear His voice who talked with Adam in Eden in the cool of the day. And as we behold His power in nature we find comfort, for the word that created all things is that which speaks life to the soul. He "who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." 2 Corinthians 4:6."

To me, nature is as good as a medicine. To walk down by our pond and watch the mother duck with her 7 babies that she protects with the fierceness of a lion and have them trust me as they come swimming to me for the cracked corn I always have for them, creates in me a sweet communion with my heavenly Father. It is such a blessing to body, mind and soul when on the Sabbath you lay all cares of the week aside and devote the time to worshipping God through song, prayer and fellowship with others not only in a building but in nature itself. It rejuvenates your whole being and prepares you in every way for the week ahead.

[Pastor Sean Brizendine]

Amen, Brother Beacon and Sister Dorine!

Are you happy when the Sabbath comes? If we see Jesus in it, we can truly rejoice in the gift of the Sabbath! The Holy Spirit is able to make us holy, helping us to accept the blood of Jesus whose expiatory sufferings atone for our sins! Surrendering unreservedly to Christ, we have limitless access to experience all of the fruits of the Spirit without one missing, enabling us to obey God from a new heart by grace through faith in Hos promises! The gospel restores us into His image!

“And the Lord says, ‘If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on My holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honorable; ... then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord.’ Isaiah 58:13, 14. To all who receive the Sabbath as a sign of Christ’s creative and redeeming power, it will be a delight. Seeing Christ in it, they delight themselves in Him. The Sabbath points them to the works of creation as an evidence of His mighty power in redemption. While it calls to mind the lost peace of Eden, it tells of peace restored through the Saviour. And every object in nature repeats His invitation, ‘Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.’ Matthew 11:28.”  {The Desire of Ages, page 289, paragraph 1}

Delight in Jesus every day by bring thoroughly converted—but especially appreciate Jesus and His creation on the Sabbath! It’s the gift of sacred time with Him, preparing us for heaven!

[JimB]

Amen my friends!

No other institution which was committed to the Jews tended so fully to distinguish them from surrounding nations as did the Sabbath. God designed that its observance should designate them as His worshipers. It was to be a token of their separation from idolatry, and their connection with the true God.

There is nothing like honoring the Sabbath to make one stick out from the crowd and draw attention. I'm guessing that each one here has testimonies to this. As a young adult I remember clearly how a shop foreman told us late friday afternoon how we'd be required to work Sabbath. I also remember how mad he got, practically screaming at me when I told him I wouldn't be able to work on Sabbath. The whole rest of the factory stopped to watch the interaction. To make a longer story short, on monday, I was told by a friend that I was the talk of the factory on Sabbath. I'm not bragging, nor do I like to be the center of attention but I think someone there needed to witness that spectacle.

[Richard Myers]

Amen my dear friends.  The Sabbath of the Lord our God is vitally important to God and to the world.  It will be the last test to come to this world. If we would share the truth as to why it is important, many more would join with us in keeping it.

No other institution which was committed to the Jews tended so fully to distinguish them from surrounding nations as did the Sabbath. God designed that its observance should designate them as His worshipers. It was to be a token of their separation from idolatry, and their connection with the true God. But in order to keep the Sabbath holy, men must themselves be holy. Through faith they must become partakers of the righteousness of Christ. When the command was given to Israel, "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy," the Lord said also to them, "Ye shall be holy men unto Me." Exodus 20:8;  22:31. Only thus could the Sabbath distinguish Israel as the worshipers of God......It declares that He who created all things in heaven and in earth, and by whom all things hold together, is the head of the church, and that by His power we are reconciled to God. For, speaking of Israel, He said, "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,"--make them holy. Ezekiel 20:12. Then the Sabbath is a sign of Christ's power to make us holy. And it is given to all whom Christ makes holy. As a sign of His sanctifying power, the Sabbath is given to all who through Christ become a part of the Israel of God. 

Few are willing to share this truth because it means that the road to heaven is very steep and very narrow. So steep and narrow that few enter in. "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." Matt. 7:13-14.   We read that God has the power to make us fit for heaven, we must be holy. How many times have we heard from the pulpit or read from the printing of our presses today that we need the power of God to make us holy? The most prominent teaching in churches today is that God is holy and it is His righteousness imputed to us that covers unconfessed and unforsaken sins. Thus, we do not have to be transformed into His character in order to enter heaven.

The Sabbath was given in the Garden that we would know and remember His love and power. His love and power are the only means by which we can be made holy and fit for heaven. Praise God for a day each week set aside that we forget not His grace. But, He wants more than remembering Him every week. We must remember Him every day, every moment of every day if we want to maintain our connection with Him. Daniel understood this and it was his character to stop in the middle of the day to retain His hold on God.
     

[Dorine]

"Wherefore the Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath." These words are full of instruction and comfort. Because the Sabbath was made for man, it is the Lord's day. It belongs to Christ. For "all things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made." John 1:3. Since He made all things, He made the Sabbath. By Him it was set apart as a memorial of the work of creation. It points to Him as both the Creator and the Sanctifier. It declares that He who created all things in heaven and in earth, and by whom all things hold together, is the head of the church, and that by His power we are reconciled to God. For, speaking of Israel, He said, "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,"--make them holy. Ezekiel 20:12. Then the Sabbath is a sign of Christ's power to make us holy. And it is given to all whom Christ makes holy. As a sign of His sanctifying power, the Sabbath is given to all who through Christ become a part of the Israel of God.

So few today believe that statement. Unbelief is spreading among our people like a deadly virus. Sabbath has become a day of fun and leisure with so many. May we stay faithful to God's word. May we never allow friends or family sway us into compromise with evil to save a relationship.