This Sabbath

[queenm04]

Hi Everyone, I am not an Adventist, but its quite refreshing to see an Adventists forum! Most of the time If I have been able to observe the Sabbath, I come out of it with valuable lessons: My request, may we share what we have learnt???be it from our personal queit times or from the Sabbath School,


Thanks,
Queen

 

[TrustAndObey]

Great idea Queen! I love hearing personal testimonies myself so I think this will be both fun and inspirational.

I can honestly say that every Sabbath that I've spent with God (I've been a Sabbath-keeper since October of last year) has been a true blessing for me and my family.

Not only is it refreshing for my body and mind, but it's a great opportunity (and sometimes the only opportunity during the week) for me to curl up with the Bible and dive into God's Word.

I bought a book, "Walking Through the Bible with HMS Richards", (which I highly recommend to everyone), that walks you through the entire Bible in one year. I'm being an overachiever and trying to read it all by the end of the summer...lol. What I like most about the book is that it gives a little history and "food for thought" every day. It's been a real blessing.

My family always stays for potluck after church and that is always a nice time to fellowship with our church family. We have an absolutely wonderful church family. Then we come home and enjoy a really long Sabbath siesta. I don't know what it is, but the rest on Sabbath always seems more refreshing than any other nap I take! God knew we would need rest and isn't it wonderful to be commanded to really TAKE one?!!

I look forward to hearing everyone else's testimonies!

~Lainie

 

[queenm04]

So true trustandobey, it feels like God's voice becomes mrore magnified and more audible on the Sabbath. Sounds like when David said

The voice of the LORD is upon the waters: the God of glory thundereth: the LORD is upon many waters.Psalms 29:3

Thanks, your input encourages me to look forward to observing the Sabbath more and more!!!

 

[Cliff2]

Hi Everyone, I am not an Adventist, but its quite refreshing to see an Adventists forum! Most of the time If I have been able to observe the Sabbath, I come out of it with valuable lessons: My request, may we share what we have learnt???be it from our personal queit times or from the Sabbath School,


Thanks,
Queen

It is very important to share with each other what we have experienced.

We all should have a story to tell.

Why are we Christians?

Even why be an Seventh-day Adventist?

The Sabbath is very important but it is not the all important thing that some may think we make it to be. Mostly it is their misunderstanding of what we believe.

The centre, the very centre of our beliefs is the "Cross".

It is only as we look to Jesus on the cross and see Jesus dying in our place do we see what scarifice He made for me. Soon as I put others in there instead of "me" I lose what the death of Christ means.

 

[lonnienord]

Great idea Queen! I love hearing personal testimonies myself so I think this will be both fun and inspirational.

I can honestly say that every Sabbath that I've spent with God (I've been a Sabbath-keeper since October of last year) has been a true blessing for me and my family.

Not only is it refreshing for my body and mind, but it's a great opportunity (and sometimes the only opportunity during the week) for me to curl up with the Bible and dive into God's Word.

I bought a book, "Walking Through the Bible with HMS Richards", (which I highly recommend to everyone), that walks you through the entire Bible in one year. I'm being an overachiever and trying to read it all by the end of the summer...lol. What I like most about the book is that it gives a little history and "food for thought" every day. It's been a real blessing.

My family always stays for potluck after church and that is always a nice time to fellowship with our church family. We have an absolutely wonderful church family. Then we come home and enjoy a really long Sabbath siesta. I don't know what it is, but the rest on Sabbath always seems more refreshing than any other nap I take! God knew we would need rest and isn't it wonderful to be commanded to really TAKE one?!!

I look forward to hearing everyone else's testimonies!

~Lainie

i grew up SDA and i remember HMS Richards well. But he was an old man when i was a kid. Is he still alive? If i remember correctly he had a radio show and HMS Richards Jr. took over for him.

 

[statrei]

i grew up SDA and i remember HMS Richards well. But he was an old man when i was a kid. Is he still alive? If i remember correctly he had a radio show and HMS Richards Jr. took over for him.

HMS Sr. passed away a few years ago. That raises another issue, but I think it is enough to answer your question.

 

[Windmill]

When I get to keep the sabbath day as I personally like to (rather than be forced into other stuff that I dislike doing) like being able to study and read on it, I feel refreshed, ultra calm and totally contempt with life, with a peace that can only be achieved, it appears, on sabbath! =D

 

[Starr SDA Living Word]

God Bless and Happy Sabbath.

 

[queenm04]

MORNING GLORY (November 18, 2005) The Sovereignty Of God
DHicks0000@aol.com
Nov 18, 2005



Todays study, teaching comes from Tebogo Rameetsa from Romans 9:15-16. Thank you Tebogo.

15 For He says to Moses,

“I will have mercy on whom I have mercy.

And I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”

16 It does not, therefore, depend on man’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.

An author named Olokunle Morolani writes: We all tend to have different experiences in life. While some have a smooth sail all through life, some struggle all the way. Some however, might live a life of struggle for a while, only for things to change abruptly for the better. Some other people tend to have things going well, only for events to nose dive and everything comes crashing down.

I think in all of life’s experiences, very few things have proven more preoccupying than the question of pain. Why is it that some people seem to be just born to suffer and go through life the hard way while others are just completely blissful in their existence? If there is a God who is in control of everything and loves us all the same, why is it that some people seem to be forever living in His grace and providence and some appear to be cursed?

Reading the passage by Morolani, he goes on to say that for some people, it’s pretty much what they have done in their past. It’s a seed they have sown, that has now come to its season of bloom. On the other hand, how does that address the people that really in all honesty, have never done anything to deserve all the atrocities they suffer?

A scripture cames to mind, of Jesus walking with his disciples thru a city and they come across a blind man about whom the bible says he was born blind.

The disciples, obviously subscribing to the beliefs of that day and age, even of this day and age, ask the question, “Why is this man blind? Is it because of his own sin or that of his ancestors?”

These are obviously doctrinal men, because they are obviously using as reference, the scripture that says, “The sins of the father shall be visited upon the sons even to the third and fourth generation.”

They know the fundamentals of their faith. What they asked is not an ignorant question at all. It’s one that would cause any self-respecting teacher of the Torah to stand back and think carefully about which answer he’s gonna give.

I still find it interesting how Jesus responds, “It was neither because of his sin or that of his ancestors. He was born this way so that the glory of God would be revealed.”

HUH??? Jesus is saying that this man was born in pain just so God would be glorified???

Before you start assuming that God is unfair, go back to the passage in Romans chapter 9. Just a few verses earlier, Paul deals with exactly this question. He makes an example of a potter who sits and decides exactly how he wants his clay to turn out. A potter molds clay to come out how he wants it, and the clay cannot question why it is made into honorable vessels or into humble vessels. It just is!

Listen to what he says to the Pharaoh of Egypt a couple of verses before the passage at the top! “I created you for this moment! I hardened your heart so that through you my power would be revealed.”

God does not apologize once for the way He madeyou. He doesn’t owe you any favors. He doesn’t give excuses or ask you to give Him other chance to do better. He’s made you the best that he’s gonna make you. He made you for a specific purpose. He made you for a specific moment. And that moment may not be clear to you in your humble beginnings or your humble ending, but it’s as real as His name is El Shaddai. When He chooses to bless you, he does that, just because He can! When He chooses to lift you up, He does that completely out of His grace!

After reading this passage, I asked myself, could anybody really be blamed for feeling resentful of God? Can anybody be justified for feeling victimized, unloved, and uncared for? Could the blind man hold a grudge for being born that way?

I went back a coupla verses again, and read a verse where Paul refers to a promise made to Abraham:

“When I return this time next year, You will have a son, and through him Will my people be established.” (I used my own paraphrasing here. Got no Bible close. Look it up.)

Then Paul goes into a lengthy discussion of how not everybody born of Abraham is Israel, but everybody born of Isaac is. Remember, Abraham had two sons. Ishmael and Isaac. Ishmael was born to Abraham and his slave woman, Hagar, but Isaac was born because of the promise of God. Only through him, could the covenant be established. Only through him, could Israel (Jacob’s other name) be born. Only through him, could the average person, who amounted to nothing in everybody else’s eyes, the very person who was victimized, bruised, hated, cheated, mistreated be elevated and lifted up, and called “child of the Most High God.”

How does it tie in with the first part? Easy!

I once heard (and I don’t know how true this is, because I haven’t had the time to do the research) that in the Jewish custom, in the modern day Passover celebration, the Priest wears a belt around his waist with three pouches tied to it. In each of these pouches, there is a piece of bread. These pieces of bread are named Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, in that particular order. At a particular point in the ceremony, the Priest then removes the middle one, Isaac, and breaks it.

One Rabbi was asked what this practice means. Why do you break the Isaac, and he responded, “I don’t know. We just do!”

An author called Richard Booker says, “The New is in the Old contained

The Old is in the New revealed.”

Let’s play a little substitution game, here: Abraham, The Father.

Isaac, The Son

Jacob, Israel.

To the theologians, the last substitution does not makes sense yet, but I hope it will in a moment.

Remember when Abraham and Isaac went up the mountain to make a sacrifice to God? That’s where Isaac can be seen as a type of Christ the best. But that’s a whole new message for another time. By breaking Isaac, they are typifying the death of Christ on the cross and they don’t even know it!

Abraham assumes the role of God, who is willing to give His only Son’s life as a sacrifice.

Further mathematical substitution: Only through Christ could the covenant be established. Not everyone that was created by God is part of the covenant! Scary! But those who are born of The Son, can be called Israel (Jacob). Still doesn’t make sense? Of course, it makes sense that Jacob would be a type of the Holy Spirit to complete the Tri-Un Godhead. But pay attention to this. The Bible says that were born-again by the water, the Spirit and the blood. And it says further that in order to be pleasing in God’s eyes, we must reckon ourselves dead unto ourselves and alive in His Spirit. Jesus said, “I will send U a comforter, who will dwell inside of U.”

So if I am dead unto myself, and the Spirit lives through me, It is no longer I but God (The Spirit) who lives in me.

I was born to complete God’s covenant. To house the Spirit of the Lord! So, if I was born to such important service, WHY WOULD I EVER DREAM OF QUESTIONING GOD’S INTENTIONS FOR MY LIFE??? Will it convince Him otherwise? Will it force Him to change His mind?

I am not omniscient. I do not see all or know all. I don’t even know what’s gonna happen in the next second! Oops, there it goes! It didn’t hurt that much, did it? All because it’s in His hand.

Why should I not be content to know that whether You created me honorable or humble, that You created me for Your glory to be revealed, and You will use me for Your will? I repent of all the times where I stood arrogantly before the potter and said, “Why can’t you make me with a handle for easy use?” Whether or not things are working in my favor, His command is for me to rejoice always. Whether or not I feel like it in the morning, my purpose is to serve Him as my King. Whether or not I feel like it on a Sunday (or any other day for that matter), my responsibility is to worship Him in spirit and in truth.

Quit trying to be in total control of your circumstances. There is one in the driver’s seat who knows exactly where the road is leading. He’s traveled it so many times before. Remember when you used to just fall asleep in the back of your father’s car? You could do that because you knew he would take you exactly where you needed to go. Well, you have a new Father, now. One who will never let you down. One who never really promised a comfortable flight, because He is interested in your reaction to the storm. Do you trust Him enough to rest? But He did promise you a soft landing. He will never leave you nor forsake you. Humble or honorable.

verse 16: It does not depend on my effort, but completely on Your mercy, as You choose to give it.



Continue to Send Your Prayer Request

Prayer Changes Things

Have a Blessed Day

A Servant

 

[lonnienord]

Great idea Queen! I love hearing personal testimonies myself so I think this will be both fun and inspirational.

I can honestly say that every Sabbath that I've spent with God (I've been a Sabbath-keeper since October of last year) has been a true blessing for me and my family.

Not only is it refreshing for my body and mind, but it's a great opportunity (and sometimes the only opportunity during the week) for me to curl up with the Bible and dive into God's Word.

I bought a book, "Walking Through the Bible with HMS Richards", (which I highly recommend to everyone), that walks you through the entire Bible in one year. I'm being an overachiever and trying to read it all by the end of the summer...lol. What I like most about the book is that it gives a little history and "food for thought" every day. It's been a real blessing.

My family always stays for potluck after church and that is always a nice time to fellowship with our church family. We have an absolutely wonderful church family. Then we come home and enjoy a really long Sabbath siesta. I don't know what it is, but the rest on Sabbath always seems more refreshing than any other nap I take! God knew we would need rest and isn't it wonderful to be commanded to really TAKE one?!!

I look forward to hearing everyone else's testimonies!

~Lainie

Lainie, Have you finished the book yet? You have been a SDA just over a year now. How did you discover the SDA church? Why did you become SDA? Are you happy?

 

[TrustAndObey]

Lainie, Have you finished the book yet? You have been a SDA just over a year now. How did you discover the SDA church? Why did you become SDA? Are you happy?

Hi Lonnienord! Yes, I finished the book! I had read all the books of the Bible except Revelation in the past anyway, but I used the book to take me chronologically through the Bible for the first time and that was a real treat!

I discovered the SDA church through a relative. I knew the seventh day was God's holy day, but what really struck me after reading the Bible was what really happens to us when we die. I was thrilled when I found out the Adventist church taught the truth about Sabbath AND the state of the dead. I would've discovered them on my own eventually, but I was lucky enough to have a relative with literature.

I became Adventist because of the doctrine. It totally agrees with my knowledge of scripture.

Am I happy? Never been happier.

 

[SassySDA]

Keeping the Sabbath is the most wonderful blessing. It's sad to me that so many others seem to not understand it, how and why it should be kept.

As TrustAndObey said, God knew when He created it how hectic our lives would some day be....He knew how much we were going to need it.

I love how the fact of knowing I have the Sabbath coming at the end of the week makes me feel ALL week long. I look forward to it, it's like a mini-holiday in our house. It brings the family closer together too, as my son and I participate in an on-line bible study on Friday evening. Then I help him with his bible studies for the church.

On the Sabbath, it's like the plug to the world has been pulled. I don't hear it, I don't see it. My mind and my heart are focused on Him. What a joy and a blessing that is.

It's been almost a year now, since I started keeping the Sabbath in my home, and started studying to become Adventist. I joined the church in April of this year. My daughter, who's 22, joined in July of this year, and my son will soon be joining. God has greatly blessed me with loving and kind children, and the best church and church family there is.

I left Sunday-keeping behind almost a year ago, and joined the SDA church 7 months ago. I have never been happier or more content in my walk with the Lord than I am right now.

God bless, everyone

 

[bloom]

Keeping the Sabbath is the most wonderful blessing. It's sad to me that so many others seem to not understand it, how and why it should be kept.

As TrustAndObey said, God knew when He created it how hectic our lives would some day be....He knew how much we were going to need it.

I love how the fact of knowing I have the Sabbath coming at the end of the week makes me feel ALL week long. I look forward to it, it's like a mini-holiday in our house. It brings the family closer together too, as my son and I participate in an on-line bible study on Friday evening. Then I help him with his bible studies for the church.

On the Sabbath, it's like the plug to the world has been pulled. I don't hear it, I don't see it. My mind and my heart are focused on Him. What a joy and a blessing that is.

It's been almost a year now, since I started keeping the Sabbath in my home, and started studying to become Adventist. I joined the church in April of this year. My daughter, who's 22, joined in July of this year, and my son will soon be joining. God has greatly blessed me with loving and kind children, and the best church and church family there is.

I left Sunday-keeping behind almost a year ago, and joined the SDA church 7 months ago. I have never been happier or more content in my walk with the Lord than I am right now.

God bless, everyone

There are those of us who are happy regardless. I've been studying this issue for some time. I've concluded that Yeshua is my rest and it doesn't matter which day I worship on.

Having said that, I do not object to someone believing there is a particular day on which one should worship. I agree with Paul who said the issue is between the believer and God and we should not judge each other regarding this issue.

I worship upon waking and keep an attitude of prayer and praise throughout the day. I don't think it matters which day. But if you do that is between you and God. And I won't judge because that's what the scripture teaches on this issue.

 

[SassySDA]

There are those of us who are happy regardless. I've been studying this issue for some time. I've concluded that Yeshua is my rest and it doesn't matter which day I worship on.

Having said that, I do not object to someone believing there is a particular day on which one should worship. I agree with Paul who said the issue is between the believer and God and we should not judge each other regarding this issue.

I worship upon waking and keep an attitude of prayer and praise throughout the day. I don't think it matters which day. But if you do that is between you and God. And I won't judge because that's what the scripture teaches on this issue.

I didn't say that no one else was "happy". And I'm not judging anyone. If, however, one has never experienced truly keeping the Sabbath, as God intended, then I would think it would be hard to gauge whether one would feel more content or not.

Since I don't believe this thread was started for the intention of saying whether one would be happier observing God's sabbath or not, we will leave it at that.

I spoke of my own personal experience, which is what I thought was being asked for.

Yes, I have MUCH to be thankful for tomorrow.

1. I am back with God
2. I found a wonderful church
3. With a tremendous church family
4. My son happily changed from the Baptist church and went with me
5. My daughter decided to give my church a try
6. In June she told the pastor she wanted to join, without my even knowing
7. She was baptized in July
8. June - she finds out she's pregnant - again. She's lost two before this
9. Sept - pastor says he's starting studies with son at his request
10. Oct - my son-in-law (No church/no faith) agrees to child rearing class
11. Nov - He wants to do bible studies with Pastor - OUT OF THE BLUE
12. Yesterday, Dr. says grandchild is a boy, 26 weeks along, and doing GREAT

If I had anymore to be thankful for, or if I were anymore blessed right now this minute, I do believe I would EXPLODE. LOL

THANK YOU JESUS!!


HAVE A HAPPY AND BLESSED THANKSGIVING ALL!!!!

 

[bloom]

I didn't say that no one else was "happy". And I'm not judging anyone. If, however, one has never experienced truly keeping the Sabbath, as God intended, then I would think it would be hard to gauge whether one would feel more content or not.

Since I don't believe this thread was started for the intention of saying whether one would be happier observing God's sabbath or not, we will leave it at that.

I spoke of my own personal experience, which is what I thought was being asked for.

Yes, I have MUCH to be thankful for tomorrow.

1. I am back with God
2. I found a wonderful church
3. With a tremendous church family
4. My son happily changed from the Baptist church and went with me
5. My daughter decided to give my church a try
6. In June she told the pastor she wanted to join, without my even knowing
7. She was baptized in July
8. June - she finds out she's pregnant - again. She's lost two before this
9. Sept - pastor says he's starting studies with son at his request
10. Oct - my son-in-law (No church/no faith) agrees to child rearing class
11. Nov - He wants to do bible studies with Pastor - OUT OF THE BLUE
12. Yesterday, Dr. says grandchild is a boy, 26 weeks along, and doing GREAT

If I had anymore to be thankful for, or if I were anymore blessed right now this minute, I do believe I would EXPLODE. LOL

THANK YOU JESUS!!


HAVE A HAPPY AND BLESSED THANKSGIVING ALL!!!!

Please don't explode!

I'm glad you feel so blessed. I suppose I responded to the implication of your "feeling sorry" for those of us who don't have your perspective on Shabbot. Which implies we're missing something that you have.

Yeshua is my Messiah and himself my rest. The only time I'm not overflowing with the Holy Spirit is when I struggle with sin. Sin is the only impedence to joy, if we are otherwise focused upon God.

I've kept Shabbot and worked on Shabbot and have been overflowed with joy in both instances because of the sense of His Presence in me accompanied by joy and peace beyond understanding.

I hope your joy is full to overflowing all your days! That is why Jesus came to us, is it not, that we might have life and have it more abundantly and to defeat the workings of our common enemy HaSatan.

 

[SassySDA]

Please don't explode!

I'm glad you feel so blessed. I suppose I responded to the implication of your "feeling sorry" for those of us who don't have your perspective on Shabbot. Which implies we're missing something that you have.

Yeshua is my Messiah and himself my rest. The only time I'm not overflowing with the Holy Spirit is when I struggle with sin. Sin is the only impedence to joy, if we are otherwise focused upon God.

I've kept Shabbot and worked on Shabbot and have been overflowed with joy in both instances because of the sense of His Presence in me accompanied by joy and peace beyond understanding.

I hope your joy is full to overflowing all your days! That is why Jesus came to us, is it not, that we might have life and have it more abundantly and to defeat the workings of our common enemy HaSatan.

I have ONE more thing to add to my "thankful for" list...and guess what? I didn't explode after all....

13. Son-in-law tells me tonight, that he is going to start attending church!!

Of course, this is what I have hoped and prayed for, for a very long time. God has been so good to me.

I would also like to say that I am not a legalist in any sense of the word, I am flexible, and I do take context into consideration. Keeping God's sabbath holy is a complete and utter joy for me. But if I were to have to do some work on that day, as long as it was necessary and for the good of others, I would have no qualms doing that.

I am all for the fact that we have rest in Jesus. But He still wants us to obey Him, His law. If He didn't, He wouldn't have repeated it to us over and over.
Because He died for me, I am saved. I have life eternal. I love Him more than any words could possibly express, and I obey Him out of that love.

Keeping the Sabbath is a personal decision, I guess, I know I don't mean to try and force anyone to do it, or try to make them feel guilty because they don't.

Have a happy holiday tomorrow...