Participants: Chris Shelton (Host), Kenny Shelton
Series Code: BTLP
Program Code: BTLP000074A
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00:41 Hello, and welcome to "Behold the Lamb Presents."
00:44 I'm Chris Shelton your host 00:45 and today's message is the third message 00:48 of a five part series that we have entitled 00:51 "The Sabbath, a Test of Faith." So stay tuned. 00:55 In today's study we will address 00:57 how to keep the Sabbath. 00:59 People are waking up to the fact 01:01 that God does have a special day 01:03 in which we are to come apart for worship 01:06 and to keep holy. 01:07 This special day began during the week of creation. 01:11 Let's read this 01:12 as found in the Book of Genesis 2:2, 3. 01:17 "And on the seventh day God ended His work 01:19 which He had made 01:20 and He rested on the seventh day 01:22 from all His work which He had made. 01:24 And God blessed the seventh day, 01:26 and sanctified it 01:27 because that in it He had rested 01:30 from all His work which God created and made." 01:34 In another book 01:35 entitled Patriarchs and Prophets on page 48 01:38 we find this inspirational thought 01:41 that is basically 01:42 the foundation of our study today. 01:46 "God saw that a Sabbath was essential for man, 01:49 even in Paradise. 01:51 He, man, needed to lay aside his own interests 01:54 and pursuits for one day of the seven, 01:57 that he might more fully contemplate 02:00 the works of God 02:01 and meditate upon His power and goodness. 02:04 He needed a Sabbath to remind him 02:06 more vividly of God and to awaken gratitude 02:10 because all that he enjoyed and possessed 02:13 came from the beneficent hand of the Creator." 02:16 So just how do we do this? 02:18 How do we put aside our own interest, 02:21 our own pursuits and meditate upon God 02:24 and His power and goodness? 02:26 Does the Bible have more to say about 02:28 how we are to keep the Sabbath holy? 02:30 All these questions and many more will be answered 02:34 in today's message 02:35 with Pastor Kenny Shelton 02:37 as we study "How to Keep the Sabbath." 02:40 But first we are blessed to listen to a song entitled 02:43 "The love of God" 02:45 as played by Reggie Samuel from the 3ABN worship center. 05:38 Thanks for joining us once again 05:40 "Behold the Lamb." 05:41 I know you don't want to miss this program 05:43 but I'm going to warn you right up front here, 05:45 if you missed the first part 05:47 which is "The Origin of the Sabbath" 05:49 you missed the second part 05:51 which is " Law and Grace" 05:53 this just might be a little over your head. 05:56 Now I don't mean that in a bad way. 05:57 But we are going to be looking at-- 05:59 it's not we're trying to prove 06:01 is the seventh day Sabbath 06:02 still binding today 06:03 because we've done that previous to this. 06:05 But "How to Keep the Sabbath." 06:08 Unless you are here at this ministry 06:10 some of you will say, 06:11 "Oh, it's a bunch of dos and don'ts 06:13 and I can and I can't." 06:15 Not that way at all. 06:16 If you get those first two you'll understand it better. 06:18 But we are responding to calls and letters 06:22 we get from people 06:24 who are mostly been Seventh-day Adventist 06:28 for many, many years, and bless their heart, 06:30 they asked some honest hearted questions, 06:33 should I do this on the Sabbath or shouldn't I? 06:35 So when you hear in this study 06:37 we are going to be doing 06:38 about the things that we should do 06:40 in preparation for the Sabbath. 06:41 The things that would be pleasing to God, 06:43 the things that would not be pleasing to Him. 06:45 Please don't look at it as dos and don'ts. 06:47 And for those of you 06:48 who don't understand the subject at all 06:51 about the seventh day Sabbath 06:53 I still encourage you to go ahead 06:54 and watch and take some notes down. 06:57 And again it's gonna take 06:58 a little bit more study for you. 07:00 But you know what? 07:01 I believe if you are tuned in 07:03 it's because God wants you to be tuned in 07:05 and you are ready for something 07:06 you don't even realize you are ready for. 07:08 So I just pray that you will stay with us. 07:11 But always before we get into the Word of God, 07:13 what do we do? Oh, that's right. 07:15 We kneel and we have prayer. 07:16 I'm gonna kneel up here. 07:18 And wonderful to know those of you 07:19 who are writing in. And I just-- I love it. 07:22 It makes me feel so good inside. 07:23 They say warm and tingly. As we realize people say 07:26 when you kneel and have prayer, 07:28 where I can in my home I kneel and I pray with you. 07:31 Thank God for that. We love prayer warriors. 07:33 So would you pray with me right now as we kneel? 07:38 Our gracious heavenly Father, 07:39 we thank You for the privilege of having prayer. 07:42 Thankful to be part of the family of God 07:44 and we ask in a special way, oh, 07:46 Lord, send Your Holy Spirit, 07:47 anoint this message 07:49 the only way that You can anoint it. 07:51 Put it out around the world 07:52 where Your honest hearted people 07:54 they will see it, they will hear it, 07:56 they will understand it, they will respond to it. 07:58 Only Your spirit can do that. 08:00 So I pray that You will take this mess 08:03 that I'm getting ready to make with it 08:04 and you'll anoint it with Holy Spirit power 08:07 and Your people will be able to hear. 08:09 I thank You for answered prayer, 08:11 I thank you for the cards and the letters. 08:13 I thank You for the response, 08:14 but most of all responding to you. 08:16 Now I pray that you'll cover me with Your blood. 08:19 Forgive me of any sin, 08:20 anything in my heart and life that needs not be there. 08:22 Oh, Lord, I need to hear from You. 08:24 In Jesus name we pray and for His sake, amen. 08:28 It's always good 08:29 there is a lot of information always. 08:31 Please remember when we are doing this study 08:33 we are only going on the edges. 08:35 We are just trying to scratch you into 08:37 saying I want to study this. 08:39 And I'll say some things but, 08:40 you know, actually the Holy Spirit that may just-- 08:43 I've heard it say get under your craw. 08:44 Some of you will know that, some of you won't. 08:46 It may agitate you. 08:47 I'm not trying to do that. 08:49 But I want to get your attention 08:50 because this is a vital, vital subject 08:53 especially for those who say 08:56 that they are Sabbath keepers. 08:58 Now keep this in mind, you say, "Well, 08:59 I'm a Sabbath keeper." But, 09:01 you know, you can profess to be a Sabbath keeper 09:03 and be breaking the Sabbath every seventh day. 09:06 So we are gonna be looking at this subject in a, 09:08 I think, maybe a little different way. 09:10 And there will be a lot of, 09:11 you know, this is what we do, this is what God has said 09:13 and this is what God said we shouldn't do. 09:14 So I know that your spirit's gonna be right. 09:17 I'm just gonna go over just a few things 09:18 in the Word of God 09:20 so that we get a handle as we are going. 09:22 The Bible said, you know, after six days of creation, 09:25 the Bible talks about here in Genesis 1:31 09:28 after six days of creation the Bible said, 09:31 "God saw that every thing that he had made, 09:34 it was" good "very good." 09:37 What He had made was very good. 09:38 And so then we look and we say in Genesis 2:2, 09:41 then the Bible simply says 09:42 and we are condensing it down, Genesis 2:2 09:44 "On the seventh day 09:45 God ended His work which He had made, 09:48 and He rested the seventh day." 09:50 Wow, what good direction we have 09:52 following His footprints. 09:54 Genesis 2:3 "God blessed the seventh day, 09:57 he sanctified it," 09:58 He set it apart for holy use. 10:01 Yes, a lot could be said about it, 10:03 we'll say it as we continue in our study. 10:05 But please keep this in mind, number one is, 10:08 after six days of creation, right, 10:10 God said everything He created was all good. 10:13 So keep that in mind as we continue to study here, 10:15 everything that God had created, right, 10:18 He said it was good. 10:19 So we are gonna look at that, keep that in mind as we go. 10:22 God gave this rest day, 10:24 the seventh-day of the week to Adam, 10:26 so Adam may pass it on to mankind. 10:29 Sabbath simply a memorial. 10:31 The Sabbath, seventh day of the week, 10:32 is simply the birthday of this world, 10:36 the work of creation. 10:37 Praise God for that. 10:39 You know, I love Psalms 111:4 the Bible said 10:43 "He hath made His wonderful works 10:46 to be remembered." 10:47 Oh, He's made His wonderful works 10:50 to be remembered, not forgotten. 10:52 The Sabbath is to be kept in our memory 10:57 and it's for all of us, 10:58 not just for a little group over here. 11:00 Sabbath was known to Israel what? 11:03 Before Mount Sinai, 11:04 we understand that by studying. 11:06 And so it's not just for the Jews, 11:08 it's for the whole world. 11:10 Praise God for that. 11:11 We find also the Sabbath is distinguished 11:14 and it continues to be distinguished. 11:17 Distinguishes God's true people. 11:20 Wow. 11:21 So God's true people in the last days 11:23 will be observing the seventh day Sabbath. 11:25 A lot of study, 11:26 those of you don't know so get into the Word. 11:29 Remember the Jews made 11:31 the seventh day Sabbath very difficult, 11:33 they made it a burden for many, many people. 11:37 And so Jesus came, 11:38 notice Jesus came to clear the way 11:40 of many of these misconceptions. 11:43 So we are gonna look at some of those today. 11:44 We're gonna try by the grace of God 11:46 to condense it down and say, 11:48 how do we really keep the Sabbath? 11:50 We claim to be seventh day Sabbath keepers. 11:53 Probably if we really look down 11:55 we would see that the majority of those 11:57 who profess to keep the Sabbath 11:58 break the Sabbath. 12:00 And, you know, we are viewed in the heaven as what? 12:02 Lawbreakers. 12:03 We should know how because the Bible tells us how. 12:06 If we fall, you say, well, 12:07 it's just one point. You know, James 2:10-12 12:11 the Bible says, "For whoever shall keep" what? 12:13 "The whole law, and yet offend in one point, 12:16 he is guilty of all." 12:18 Keep these in mind. 12:19 Study some more on that if you will do that 12:21 because the Bible simply said the end results there 12:23 that we are all gonna be judged by the perfect law of liberty. 12:28 I love it when I read about 12:29 God's Ten Commandment law, it's spiritual. 12:32 Ten Commandment law is holy. 12:34 Ten Commandment law is just and it's good 12:37 and it's the perfect law of liberty. 12:39 So it doesn't put you in bondage. 12:40 You are not, you know, don't look and say, "Oh, no." 12:43 No, a perfect law of liberty and freedom. 12:45 But I think we need to be sensitive, 12:46 I know as we study this in regard 12:48 to what it means by the grace of God 12:51 to keep His laws. 12:52 And I think we need to be very sensitive 12:54 in regard to whether we are keeping it 12:57 or whether we are breaking it. 13:00 What if we really thought in all honesty 13:02 that we were keeping it 13:04 because we really haven't got into the Word and 13:07 we should be, but we are breaking it? 13:09 Wouldn't you want to know? 13:11 Oh, I do. 13:12 James 4:12 said "There is one lawgiver," 13:16 praise God, "who is able to save" 13:19 and who is able "to destroy." 13:22 There is how many lawgivers? There is only one. 13:23 What is he able to do? 13:24 He is able to save, the Bible said, 13:26 and he is able to destroy. 13:28 Keep that in mind. 13:29 I believe the Sabbath is to be proclaimed 13:32 I'm telling you here 13:33 more fully here in these last days than ever before. 13:37 People need to hear that obedience 13:40 to the seventh day Sabbath is a life and death issue. 13:45 People say, you know, it doesn't matter. 13:47 It's a life and death issue 13:49 when you get in to start studying the Word of God. 13:51 And I will say this 13:52 and I will say it right upfront, 13:54 people who refuse to keep the Sabbath, after they hear, 13:58 they study and they say, 13:59 "I understand it," you are going to know 14:03 and you are going to taste, 14:04 we are talking about death, the reward of the transgressor. 14:08 Did you get that? Once you hear it, 14:10 once you study it, once you say I know, 14:12 if you don't follow it you're gonna taste, 14:14 you're gonna taste the reward of the transgressor. 14:17 You know, people continue to trample 14:19 upon the seventh day Sabbath. 14:21 And many people say they have a knowledge of it. 14:24 So what are we going to do? 14:26 You have a knowledge, you know what you should be doing. 14:29 Once again we will taste of the seven last plagues. 14:32 No one wants to do that. I know it's heavy duty. 14:35 Now with these thoughts in mind let's do a little more digging, 14:38 a little more examining 14:39 and consider how the seventh day Sabbath 14:42 should be kept according to Scripture. 14:45 Now remember according to Scripture. 14:46 And if you find any of these things 14:48 that I'm talking about here that's not backed by Scripture, 14:52 the principle of God's word, why don't you let me know? 14:55 Some of you are pretty good about that. 14:56 And it's okay, because I do appreciate it. 14:58 Because when you send those questions and comments 15:00 I'm very well aware of that, and I look those things up. 15:03 And I go back and study to make sure 15:05 that I'm approved of heaven. 15:07 The Sabbath question 15:08 is to be the great issue in this final crisis 15:11 we realize, this conflict, 15:13 and all the world is going to play a part. 15:16 So if this is a big issue, it seems to me 15:20 that we need to understand the real issue. 15:22 And are we really observing it 15:24 and being pleasing to the God of heaven? 15:27 Man is not going to be able, the Bible said, 15:30 is going to be able to buy or sell 15:31 save he have the mark. 15:33 Have you read that in Revelation 13:17? 15:36 You are not going to be able. 15:37 And for He causes all, the Bible said, 15:39 that would not worship the image 15:41 of the beast should be killed. 15:43 Have you read that in Revelation 13:15? 15:46 These are life and death issues 15:48 and so we need to understand them. 15:50 Wouldn't it be nice if maybe if we just go over some, 15:52 I want to say some important things for us 15:55 to think about as we go? 15:56 Remember you will not keep all these things in mind, 15:59 you need to have a pencil and paper, 16:01 jot them down as quickly as you can. 16:03 These are to me some of the highlights, 16:05 and then we'll get into some specifics 16:08 as we continue to study. 16:09 When we talk about 16:11 is the Sabbath really important, 16:13 what does it really mean 16:14 to keep the seventh day Sabbath? 16:16 Does God really mean what He says? 16:18 Is it in the heart of God's law? 16:20 Has it been jerked or out 16:21 and it does no longer pertain to us? 16:23 Or is it binding upon us, and if so, shouldn't we know? 16:27 First of all and this is 16:28 high on my list, this is it, 16:31 is God established it. 16:34 God established the seventh day Sabbath, 16:36 that should be good enough for all of us. 16:38 If we can't understand all the ins and outs, say, well, 16:41 God did establish it. 16:42 God did make-- 16:44 After all it bears God's sign and His mark for all of us. 16:50 And the seventh day Sabbath is as old as the world itself. 16:54 Interesting. 16:56 The seventh day Sabbath signifies 16:57 that we are worshipers of the true God of Jehovah. 17:02 Interesting how God's always pointing back 17:04 from creation, His people, to follow it and it signs 17:07 that they are His people, they either are or they aren't, 17:09 so we need to study, show ourself approved. 17:12 As I was reading the Bible the Sabbath was made 17:14 for man and not man for the Sabbath. 17:17 You remember reading that in Mark 2:27, 28, 17:19 I know that you have. 17:21 The Sabbath was made for man. 17:23 Didn't say for the Jews, didn't say for Gentile, 17:24 it's made for man, all of mankind. 17:26 Praise God. 17:28 And I've been reading the Bible, 17:29 and I see that its observance, 17:31 we see man, it's his duty to observe 17:34 the seventh day Sabbath because God commanded. 17:36 He didn't ask, He commanded it. 17:38 You're not gonna go against God, are you? 17:39 I don't think that you are, you don't want to. 17:42 Seventh day Sabbath to me is simply just 17:45 a constant reminder of my accountability to God. 17:49 Are you accountable to God? Are you giving account to God? 17:54 As you observe the Sabbath you'll see these points 17:56 that I'm talking about. 17:59 God, in fact, promised a blessing on those 18:01 who would observe the seventh day Sabbath. 18:03 You want a blessing or do you want a curse? 18:05 You know, I want to be blessed, 18:06 I don't want to end in curses. But God said, 18:07 I set before you today a blessing 18:09 and a curse so you can choose which one. 18:12 I want the blessings of God. I know you do, too. 18:14 And you know what, the seventh day Sabbath 18:16 is a constant reminder of who God is. 18:20 I can't forget God, can't forget God. 18:23 It's designed to direct man's mind back to God. 18:28 Seventh day Sabbath, what is it? 18:30 It directs our mind back to the God of the universe. 18:33 Praise God. 18:35 Seventh day Sabbath was designed for men, 18:37 and that means mankind, that's all of us, 18:39 to assemble together for worship 18:41 because He designated the seventh day Sabbath. 18:45 And let me tell you, the seventh day Sabbath 18:47 we are seeing right here, and has always been, 18:49 it distinguishes God's true people and the ones 18:52 who serve Him and the ones who refuse to serve Him. 18:56 But, you know, let me remind you this, 18:58 people say I don't know about the Sabbath, I'm not sure. 19:00 Listen, in order to keep 19:02 the Sabbath holy, man must be holy. 19:06 Wow, what a thought. 19:08 In order to keep the Sabbath day holy, man must be holy. 19:15 He must be full partaker 19:17 of the righteousness of Jesus Christ, 19:19 sold out to Jesus Christ. 19:21 Are you sold out to Jesus Christ? 19:23 Friends, maybe that's why many are not keep 19:26 the Sabbath the way it should be 19:27 because we're really not sold out to Christ. 19:30 Oh, how important that is for us, a reminder. 19:33 God reminds us to keep the Sabbath because it's holy. 19:39 Praise God for that. 19:41 Praise God He distinguishes 19:43 the people here in these last days. 19:46 You know, you read in the Bible as the children of Israel 19:48 kept the Sabbath, it distinguished them 19:49 from all other people and all other nations, didn't it? 19:52 God even went further with that, if we may say it 19:55 that way, that He told the children of Israel, 19:56 He said I want you to sew some blue on your garment. 19:58 Do you remember that? 19:59 All right, sew that blue on there. 20:01 It's a reminder about God's laws, 20:03 that we're always walking in God's law 20:05 and that you are different from everybody else. 20:07 And you should be 20:08 because you honor and serve the God of heaven. 20:11 God said in His word, yeah, I've read it. 20:13 You have, too, Genesis 20:8, 20:15 He says that you shall keep it holy. 20:18 And then He goes on in Exodus 22:31, He said 20:21 "Ye shall be holy men unto me." 20:25 There is something holy then about the Sabbath day. 20:28 There is something holy about the way 20:30 that we should observe it. 20:31 Why? 20:32 Because God is in that day 20:34 and where God is in, it becomes holy. 20:36 Is it possible that we've lost 20:39 the importance of the seventh day Sabbath? 20:41 I'm almost-- I don't want to use the word shock, 20:43 but I'm almost shocked 20:44 to what I see and see people doing 20:46 who say we're Seventh-day Adventist 20:49 or we're Sabbath keepers. 20:51 And the things that are going on, 20:52 the things that you are doing 20:54 is blatant against the Scripture. 20:56 What is wrong? 20:57 Maybe just a little illustration 20:59 as we think about it. 21:00 Remember the Jews, as they departed from Christ 21:05 they failed to make Christ, 21:07 the righteousness of Christ their own. 21:09 You know what happened? 21:10 They lost the significance of the Sabbath. 21:13 Remember when they turned away 21:14 from the righteousness of Christ, 21:17 when they took their eyes off of Jesus 21:18 then they lost the significance of the Sabbath. 21:21 So some of you have lost that 21:22 is because maybe you've taken your eyes off of Jesus. 21:25 You begin to look at your neighbors, 21:26 you begin to look at your friends, you look at your job. 21:28 You want to be more like the world 21:29 rather than be like God. 21:31 Let me tell you today, I believe more than ever before 21:34 in the hour that we live that Satan is-- 21:36 he works to corrupt the Sabbath. 21:40 He works to change it. He works to misapply it. 21:44 He works to distort it. 21:46 He works to twist it all up in the minds of the people 21:49 because it is a sign of the power of Christ. 21:53 It is the sign between God and man. 21:56 You remember reading that? 21:57 Oh, I know that you have. 21:58 Exodus 31:17, please keep this in mind. 22:03 I know, it's a lot and a lot being said 22:05 and so that's why the DVDs. 22:06 You can stop them and play them and you can jot it down, 22:08 you go back and study to show yourself approved. 22:11 You remember Jesus when He walked 22:12 this earth about the rabbis, you remember what they did? 22:15 They followed Him around wherever He went. 22:18 Merciless hostility, they shoved our Lord 22:22 and our Savior to try to get Him to break 22:25 the law and to elevate the traditions of men. 22:29 Very interesting that Jesus-- Let's say it like this. 22:32 Jesus didn't pay any attention to them. 22:35 He went about His Father's business. 22:38 He wasn't afraid of them, 22:40 He wasn't worried about what they thought about Him. 22:43 He knew what He should be doing and we too. 22:45 Well, He didn't even-- Interesting, 22:47 I read one time, He said, He didn't even appear 22:50 to conform to the rules of men, requirements of men. 22:54 But He kept the Sabbath, the seventh day of the week 22:56 according to the commandments. 22:59 Wouldn't that be enough for us 23:00 to kind of stand on to say, my Lord and my Savior, 23:03 the one was nailed on the cross for me. 23:05 The one that came down to this miserable old world 23:07 and died and took what I deserved. 23:09 This is what He did in life. 23:11 Would it not be safe to follow in His footsteps? 23:13 Oh, I believe so, don't you? 23:16 Especially when He said, 23:17 I have kept my Father's commandments. 23:20 Do you remember reading that in John 15:10, 23:23 "I have kep My Father's commandment." 23:25 So why is it you and I say we're free to do 23:27 what we want to do? 23:28 I've kept my Father's commandment. 23:29 I'll tell you this, as a Christian 23:30 I'm free to do what I want to do. 23:33 By the grace of God I just choose, 23:34 by the grace of God, not to do the wrong things. 23:36 All right, that's freedom, isn't it? 23:37 Sure it is. Praise God. 23:40 There's hostility in the world today, 23:41 there's hostility in the movement sometime. 23:43 When you want to lift up the standards 23:45 that God has given, this movement, 23:47 and when we see them lowered, it breaks our heart. 23:50 We want to sigh and cry for those abominations 23:52 that be done. 23:54 Then so we need to go straight forward 23:55 in presenting what is truth. 23:58 And so by God's grace we are going to do that. 24:01 In fact, Jesus, remember He declared Himself 24:04 Lord of the Sabbath. 24:06 Wow, originator. 24:08 Matthew 12:8, you remember that? 24:11 So today what I'm saying, Jesus our Lord, 24:14 our Savior, He is one above all question. 24:18 He is above all law and yet He kept it 24:23 by the grace of His Father. 24:24 Let's just read three important Bible passages. 24:27 And I'm trying to make it quick as I can because of our time. 24:29 Because we are building on just three little passages here, 24:33 and one of them was already read, Genesis 2:1-3. 24:37 Then we're gonna read Exodus 20:8-11, 24:40 Isaiah 58:12, 13, 14, okay. 24:45 If you'll jot those down, it's very important. 24:48 So if you have your Bible, 24:49 you're gonna turn with me as we read these. 24:50 Shall we? 24:51 We can do this together. I know it takes time. 24:52 I know it does. And I realize time is very valuable 24:56 and it goes by quickly. 24:57 But listen, if we read these, I think you'll get a concept. 25:00 If you want to observe the Sabbath 25:02 just listen to these three little passages. 25:05 We realize in Genesis 2:1-3, 25:07 "Thus the heavens and the earth were finished." 25:09 The Bible said the heavens and earth were finished 25:11 "and all the" 25:12 what? Good. 25:13 "All of the host of them and on the seventh day 25:16 God ended His work which He had made. He rested on the," 25:19 what day? 25:21 "On the seventh day from all His work which He had made. 25:23 God blessed the Sabbath day, he sanctified it." 25:26 Why? He sanctified it. 25:27 Set it apart for holy use. Why? 25:29 "Because He had rested from all of His work 25:31 which God created and made." 25:34 Turn over with me Exodus Chapter 20, 25:36 Exodus Chapter 20 and we read. 25:38 See, it's important that we put these together 25:40 and let the Holy Spirit begin to speak 25:42 to our hearts, and to our minds. 25:44 Oh, you know this, this is the Ten Commandments. 25:46 Seventh day Sabbath is right in the heart. 25:48 Oh, it just pulls my heart out when I see people try to take 25:51 in the middle of this fourth commandment 25:52 and rip it out and replace it, 25:54 you see, with the first day of the week. 25:56 Are you still with me? 25:57 Hope some of you are still, 25:58 not trying to get them turned it off. 26:00 You need to really think about this issue. 26:01 Verse: 8, Exodus Chapter 20, "Remember the Sabbath day," 26:04 the Bible says, "to keep it holy. 26:06 Six days shall thy labor and do all thy work," 26:08 but what? 26:09 "But the seventh day 26:10 is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God." 26:12 Friends, can we count the seven? 26:14 Come on, pray, come on. 26:16 It said, "In it thou shalt not do any work." 26:18 You see that? "Thou nor thy" what? 26:19 "Son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, 26:21 nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle," 26:24 the Bible said "nor" what? 26:25 "Even the stranger that is within thy gates." 26:27 You need to be careful about the stranger, 26:29 the persons in your house. 26:32 And then it says why. 26:34 "For in six days the Lord made heavens and earth, and sea, 26:36 and all that in them is, and He rested the seventh day, 26:39 wherefore the Lord blessed 26:41 the Sabbath day, and He hallowed it." 26:43 Isn't that beautiful? 26:45 Isaiah Chapter 58. Let's do Isaiah Chapter 58. 26:49 You know, when we read that, these verses-- 26:52 Most of you have them memorized but, you know, 26:54 remember who we are speaking to. 26:55 If you 're just tuning in, if you missed part one, 26:58 part two, you're not going to get this 26:59 because we are gonna hurriedly go over a lot of things 27:01 that we should be doing in preparation 27:03 for God's Sabbath day in order to keep it holy. 27:06 These verses right here are just imperative. 27:08 We need to be reading these like never before 27:11 and let God speak to you. 27:13 Isaiah Chapter 58, let's begin reading from 13, shall we? 27:16 Let's do 12, okay, let's do 12. 27:19 "And they that shall be 27:20 of thee shall build the old waste places" 27:22 you get that? 27:23 "Thou shalt raise up the foundations 27:25 of many generations and thou shalt be called, 27:28 The repairer of the breach, 27:30 The restorer of paths to dwell in." 27:32 God said there will be people in these last days, 27:34 they are gonna raise up these little foundations. 27:36 People's been throwing stuff, they've been covering all up. 27:38 They are gonna come up and they are gonna proclaim 27:40 something. And notice what it says verse 13. 27:43 "If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, 27:45 from doing thy pleasure on my holy day, 27:49 call the Sabbath a delight-- Don't any of you be calling 27:52 and saying, well, you know the Sabbath is for the Jews 27:54 and the seventh day Sabbath is for Seventh-day Adventist? 27:57 Bible says right here, the Sabbath, what is it? 28:01 For the Lord thy God. 28:02 It's God's day, wow. 28:04 He said, we should "call the Sabbath a delight, 28:06 holy of the Lord, honorable and shalt honor him." 28:08 Notice this, we honor Him by not doing what? 28:12 "Not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, 28:15 nor speaking thine own words." 28:17 Then it goes on. 28:18 You say well, that's an awful lot. 28:19 Oh, it is, but notice what it says. 28:22 "Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord." 28:25 If we are doing all these things, you know, 28:27 what God has said not to do and we are still doing them 28:30 how you gonna delight yourself in the Lord? 28:32 He said, "I'm gonna cause you to ride on 28:34 the high places of the earth, 28:36 and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob." 28:38 Okay, it'd be nice to finish all those thing 28:40 but I want you to just keep 28:41 those passages in mind as we go. 28:43 So first of all what will we do? 28:46 What are we going to do here? 28:47 We are gonna say, okay, I want to observe the Sabbath. 28:49 And, you know, there are people who have no idea about 28:51 when the Sabbath even begins. 28:52 Can we run through that just quickly? 28:54 Let's do that. 28:55 The Bible says in Genesis 1:5, the Bible said 28:58 "The evening and the morning were" what? 29:00 Good "the first day." 29:02 Then if we go down Genesis 1:8 29:04 "Evening and morning were the second day." 29:06 Genesis 1:13 it says, 29:07 "The evening and morning were the third day." 29:09 So it goes on and on and on. 29:10 So when does the Sabbath begin? It begins what? 29:14 In the evening when the sun goes down. 29:16 Why? 29:17 Once again because Leviticus 23:32 says 29:20 "From even unto even, shall you celebrate your Sabbath." 29:24 Interesting, Sabbath, the word here means 29:26 you are going to desist. 29:28 You are not gonna be working. 29:29 You are gonna seize from exertion. 29:31 You are going to rest that's what the Bible said. 29:33 You are going to keep the Sabbath. 29:35 Very interesting. 29:36 Celebrate 29:37 simply talks about honoring Him. 29:39 It means the public worship. 29:41 It means what? 29:42 Bring honor and glory to God. 29:44 So if I ask you the question now, 29:45 when does the Sabbath begin? 29:46 You say, oh, when the sun goes down. 29:48 So when the sun goes down, right, 29:50 on Friday evening, that's the beginning 29:52 of a 24-hour period of time. 29:54 And when the sun sets on Sabbath, right, 29:57 Saturday, that's the end of the Sabbath. 30:00 So there is a 24 hour period of time we have to look at. 30:03 Now remember in order to keep the Sabbath holy 30:05 there must be some preparation to do it. 30:08 Many of us don't keep it 30:09 because we are not preparing to meet with God. 30:12 We're not getting all the things done 30:13 that we need to get done and we try to do 30:15 them on the sacred hours of the Sabbath 30:17 and it turns out to be a mess. 30:19 Now remember if you are just tuning in, 30:21 you don't know anything about the Sabbath, bless your heart, 30:23 we love you and we are praying for you. 30:24 These are people who understand but I'd encourage you 30:26 to get studying because this is in the Scripture. 30:29 Prepare, what does it mean? 30:30 I need to prepare for the Sabbath. 30:31 How do you-- Let's talk about prepare. 30:33 Let's say, prepare means to remove all things 30:36 that might hinder us, right, 30:38 or it might take from the holy hours of the Sabbath. 30:41 So you don't want anything to come in your home, 30:43 anything around you that will take 30:45 from the precious hours of the Sabbath. 30:47 No unnecessary work needs to be done. 30:50 Why? 30:51 Because God says those 24 hour period of time 30:54 is to be spent with God doing those things, right, 30:57 His will and not our own. 30:59 It doesn't belong to you, it doesn't belong to me. 31:01 The Bible said it's God's day and we need to keep it holy. 31:05 Why? 31:06 Because He is in this so only holy things can be done. 31:08 So when you see dos and don'ts that's what 31:11 some of you will think. And I'm gonna say it nice, 31:13 then maybe your mind is not converted on this question. 31:17 If it is, you will understand where we are coming from. 31:21 So Friday then, you'll say, 31:23 well, yeah, but Friday, I've heard of Good Friday, 31:24 I've heard of-- you know. 31:26 It's very interesting to me that many people they can, 31:28 they can tell exactly Friday is the sixth day 31:31 and they can tell you Sunday is the first day 31:33 but they can't figure out which is the seventh day. 31:35 Give you the sixth, give you the first 31:37 but can't figure out which day is the Sabbath. 31:39 I know who is behind that, don't you? 31:41 So we know Friday, the Bible talks about here 31:43 Matthew 27:62, let me read it. 31:47 Said, "Now the next day, 31:48 that followed the day of preparation." 31:50 So there is a preparation day. 31:52 Preparation for what? 31:54 Think about that. 31:55 Matthew 15:42 says "And now when even was come," 31:59 notice "because it was the preparation, 32:02 that is, the day before the Sabbath." 32:04 That's simple to me. 32:07 Friday preparation is the day before the seventh day Sabbath. 32:11 So if there's preparation, preparation need to be-- 32:13 I need to know about being prepared for the Sabbath 32:16 because there's much more than just going to church, 32:17 much more than just reading the Bible. 32:19 There's much more than just coming and saying, okay, 32:20 and fellowshipping and-- 32:23 How is your heart? 32:25 I would love to see people come in, you know, 32:26 on Sabbath morning and sit down, 32:28 maybe kneel down in prayer instead of coming 32:30 and talking about everything under the sun. 32:33 You're gonna drive the Holy Spirit away. 32:34 We want the spirit to come. 32:36 There's preparation that needs to be made. 32:39 Now I remember Luke 23:53, 54 32:43 let me read what it says, it talks about Jesus. 32:45 If you're confused a little and we have to remember 32:47 when we are talking to people we're talking to some 32:49 who have never heard, they've never understood. 32:51 You have to cover maybe the ABCs or 123 32:54 to help people understand. 32:56 Many of you understand somewhat 32:57 but you are not interested. 32:59 I pray that you are. 33:00 You're gonna get interested here. 33:01 Remember he is talking about Friday, 33:03 it says, that Jesus body was taken down. 33:05 You remember crucified on Friday. 33:06 "Wrapped in linen, laid in sepulchre 33:08 that was hewn out of store, wherein never man was laid. 33:14 And that day" the Bible said 33:15 "was preparation, and the Sabbath drew on." 33:19 Oh, it's so simple to understand. 33:20 So on Friday preparation day, 33:23 we should be planning to do what? 33:26 We should be planning with the Sabbath in mind. 33:29 In fact we should plan for the Sabbath what? 33:31 As soon as one Sabbath ends 33:33 we need to be planning for the next Sabbath. 33:35 Well, how wonderful that would be. 33:36 How things would be different in our homes, 33:39 maybe in the community, maybe with us. 33:41 If we begin since we end the Sabbath 33:44 we start planning and thinking about the next Sabbath. 33:47 Oh, how interesting. 33:48 Let's go over just a few things, 33:49 shall we, 33:50 quickly that will help us to observe the Sabbath 33:53 so it would be pleasing to God. 33:55 Remember this, this is not dos and don'ts. 33:57 God has set up the criteria. 33:59 God has set up what He would like 34:01 that would be pleasing to Him 34:02 and I know we all want to please Him. 34:05 You might maybe say, well, 34:07 maybe I keep the seventh day Sabbath. 34:10 And I just pose a question to you and pose it to myself, 34:13 do I really, do I really? 34:20 So let' say, you say, okay, 34:21 we are talking about the Sabbath. Oh, it's good. 34:23 You know, where it's possible it's nice that you get off 34:26 on noon on Friday, 34:28 so that you can what? 34:29 We are preparing for the Sabbath now. 34:30 When it comes in, a lot of people have to work 34:32 a little bit later, but where you can get off noon 34:35 so you can make some preparations for the Sabbath. 34:38 Now I'm gonna really get personal. 34:39 Somebody will turn it off but, you know, 34:41 if you're really wanting to get ready and meet the Sabbath 34:44 the way that it should before the sun goes down 34:47 on Friday evening, oh, boy, baths and showers 34:51 and, you know, shoe shined, all those things should be done 34:55 before the sun goes down. 34:57 You are gonna say, oh, boy, why? 35:00 Listen, because that time belongs to God 35:03 and only those things that are pleasing to Him 35:05 and is holy should be done on that day. 35:08 If we don't what are we doing? 35:09 We are just taking care of our own stuff, 35:12 doing like we do during the six days. 35:14 Remember His day is holy time. 35:17 So if I go a little bit further with this, you would say, well, 35:19 what do you mean preparation for Sabbath? 35:22 Sometime on Sabbath you try to get up, 35:23 you try to shine your shoes, you try to, you know, 35:26 pick out clothes and you try to, you know, 35:28 get everything all ready. And, oh, boy, 35:30 what are you saying? 35:32 Remember, you don't want to occupy time 35:35 that's not yours, it's God's time. 35:38 You don't want to occupy with your own personal things, 35:40 they need to be done prior so you can come in mentally, 35:43 physically, spiritually to accept the Sabbath 35:45 and be ready for the blessings of God. 35:47 But you can't when you are doing your own things 35:48 and you can't find this, you can't find that 35:50 and pretty soon everybody is tight, you know how it goes. 35:53 Listen, I've seen it more than once, 35:54 I've seen it many, many times, 35:56 where the enemy comes in just like this, 35:57 because we are not prepared for the Sabbath. 36:00 We get up in the morning, 36:01 Sabbath morning, we start running around, 36:02 My dad always said, like a chicken with your head off. 36:04 You're just running back and forth and pretty soon 36:06 the kids don't have, you can't find their shoes, 36:07 you can't find this, you are late. 36:09 You get all upset. Momma's burning everything 36:11 and what do you say? 36:12 I'm not going to church today, man, I can't do it. 36:14 And you lose the blessings of the Sabbath 36:16 because we haven't prepared. 36:18 So if you think I'm getting personal 36:19 I'm not really trying to, but I think it will make sense. 36:21 Remember, on the Sabbath we do those things 36:23 that pertain to God, not to ourself, we prepare. 36:27 People have written in and said, well, 36:28 what about cooking? How much cooking can I do? 36:30 Just look at the principles of the Bible, food preparation. 36:34 Sure we should do that, 36:35 we are preparing for the Sabbath, 36:36 we should prepare the food, right, before the Sabbath hours 36:40 and certainly if you get to church. Somebody said 36:41 I'm not even-- it's wrong to warm it up. 36:43 Well, you know, I kind of like it warmed up just a little bit. 36:46 Hope somebody is with me. 36:47 There is a balance in scripture. 36:49 You don't have to overdo it. 36:51 Some people say, well, 36:52 I don't want to clean up. 36:53 You shouldn't have to on the Sabbath. 36:55 You know, because you should do it before the Sabbath hours. 36:58 There is something about 37:00 you don't want to go to church dirty. 37:01 Hope somebody is with me. 37:03 You know, if we look at all the secular work 37:05 everything should be just set aside, everything laid aside. 37:09 That means the books and the magazines 37:11 and things of the world, the newspaper, 37:14 that's all of the world, you don't need it. 37:15 If you're like me I have enough of that stuff. 37:17 Put it all aside before the sun goes down. 37:19 And let me tell you brothers and sisters, 37:21 you know what, Sabbath observant, 37:23 Sabbath should begin in the home, not out running 37:26 around somewhere or doing this or that. 37:28 Why? 37:29 Because you are missing some precious holy time. 37:32 We are desecrating the Sabbath of the Lord thy God. 37:37 I believe this with all my heart, 37:38 the Sabbath is a test for this time. 37:41 The seventh day Sabbath is the test for this time. 37:43 Right now what we are living is a test. 37:46 Why? 37:47 Because the Sabbath truth is connecting, you know, 37:51 it's a connecting link between God and man. 37:54 God is connecting us. 37:55 He is drawing us up closer to Him 37:57 because we are gonna need Him like never before. 37:59 I'm telling you, time's about to fall apart, we know that. 38:02 And I believe all Christians should be keep the Sabbath. 38:05 And remember, it's not just, well, I choose it. 38:08 It's a command that God has given in His word. 38:11 You have the same Bible, 38:12 we should be reading the same thing. 38:14 Why are we so twisted on these issues? 38:16 Are we listening to everybody else and not listening to God? 38:21 Realize when people keep the seventh day Sabbath 38:24 God treats them, that's My family. 38:27 That's My family. 38:29 They are honoring what I've instituted. 38:31 Praise God. 38:32 On the Sabbath we need to center our thoughts on God 38:36 and our thoughts on heaven. 38:39 You know, we should restrict our thoughts 38:41 for any other thing except things connected with God. 38:44 Can I say this way, religious themes. 38:47 We need to really be so focused that we don't what? 38:50 Break the Sabbath. 38:53 Many are just not clear and I'm learning, too. 38:56 Many are just not clear about the high standard 38:59 that we must reach in order for heaven to be our home. 39:02 In order to really be called Sabbath keepers 39:04 there is a high standard 39:05 and most of us have fallen short. 39:07 God help us. 39:09 He is looking for the real McCoy today. 39:10 Who is gonna surface? 39:13 See God has a claim on every individual in the world today, 39:16 everyone of us in regard to His holy day, 39:20 God's seventh day Sabbath. 39:23 God's day is holy we've talked about here. 39:25 We should not rob Him of one minute, one second, one hour. 39:30 It doesn't matter. Not rob Him of any time, holy time. 39:32 Why? 39:33 Because it's His time and once again it's not ours. 39:36 And so we must be constantly on guard, constantly on guard. 39:39 That we do not use God's time, listen carefully, 39:42 use God's time to say and to do 39:47 and to go for our own use. 39:50 See how many times we have done that 39:52 and think that it's all right. 39:53 We need to rethink the issue. 39:56 Call yourself what you will, call myself what-- 39:58 this is what God has said, we can't use, 40:00 remember, His time to do our things. 40:03 It has to pertain to Him. 40:04 Again, we talked about in Isaiah Chapter 58 40:07 and we read that. 40:08 I wish we could go, do some more about that. 40:10 But I tell you, some will say, well, I can't do it. 40:12 Our time is running down, stay with. 40:14 Some will say-- you know what, 40:15 you are going to have to do just like myself. 40:17 We have to retrain our mind. 40:19 We have to discipline our mind like never before. 40:23 What? 40:24 To dwell on sacred themes. Because our mind 40:27 six days is dwelling on things of the world. 40:30 So we have to train it by the grace of God, 40:32 ask the Holy Spirit to come in. 40:34 This passage in Isaiah 58 really condenses it down, 40:37 it really helps us to understand these things. 40:39 Notice, that please God, it is not dos and don'ts. 40:43 I'm gonna keep brining this, it's not dos and don'ts. 40:45 It's not a matter-- you talk about, well, 40:46 you know, I'm gonna earn merit with God. No. 40:49 We want to do it because it's pleasing to Him, 40:52 and if it's not pleasing to Him 40:53 then it would be displeasing to Him. 40:56 And you don't want to do that, I don't either. 40:59 Isaiah 58, as I read it, it compels me as God asked me, 41:03 He said, Kenny, don't turn your foot away from the Sabbath. 41:07 Interesting. 41:08 Kenny, don't turn away from the Sabbath. 41:11 Don't trample it under a foot. 41:14 Don't break it. 41:15 Don't treat it like it's just an ordinary day. 41:17 Don't treat it like it doesn't mean anything. 41:20 Please notice several points with me if you will. 41:23 These points are very valuable, 41:25 this is my opinion, you can look at them 41:26 and, you know, principles of God's word. 41:29 Do we want to please Him, number one? 41:30 Oh, yes, we want to please Him. 41:33 Once again, I'll say again. 41:34 It's not about works, it's not legalist, 41:37 it's not about doing, but it's our love toward God. 41:42 If you love Him, you want to please Him, won't you? 41:45 And again, He's commanded us it's not just a choice. 41:49 Works, it's not going to save anybody. 41:52 We're saved by grace through faith, the Bible is very clear. 41:55 But we do need a living faith 41:57 that simply means a faith that works. 42:00 God's calling, He is preparing the people. 42:03 You remember the Book of Ecclesiastes, you know, 42:06 it's written in chapter 7 verse 26, it's interesting. 42:09 It said, "Whoso pleaseth God shall escape." 42:14 And then you can fill in the blanks if you want to. 42:16 If you please God, notice this, you shall escape. 42:19 What? 42:20 All the other things that's in the world. 42:22 God said, I'm gonna take care of you if you please God 42:26 and these are ways to please God. 42:27 1 John, the Bible says in 3:22, 42:31 "Whatsoever you shall ask you will receive of Him." 42:34 Notice we receive of Him 42:36 because we keep His commandments. 42:38 Wow. 42:39 Is anybody asking anything of God? 42:42 It says "We receive it, 42:43 because we keep His commandments 42:46 and we do those things" 42:48 notice "that are pleasing in His sight." 42:52 You can claim the promises of God that way 42:54 my, brothers and sisters. 42:55 If we do what? 42:58 Because we keep His commandments, 42:59 we do those things that are pleasing in His sight. 43:02 Notice with me, 43:03 we need to call the Sabbath, Isaiah 58 43:06 brings out, a delight. 43:07 How many of us really say, oh, 43:09 goody, goody, the Sabbath is coming on? 43:11 Can't wait for the sun, you know, to set 43:13 and the Sabbath hours begin. 43:15 Oh, I tell you, can't wait to get to church. 43:17 Most people are just saying, oh, 43:18 man. Look, we are breaking the Sabbath that way. 43:22 It's not the right attitude of the mind. 43:24 We need to call, the Bible says the Sabbath, 43:27 God says the Sabbath a delight. 43:29 Look forward to it, plan for it, 43:32 ready to receive it when it comes in, 43:33 ready to impart it to others. 43:35 That's what we are looking at here. 43:37 Bible said it's holy unto the Lord, it's honorable. 43:42 And notice this, how do we honor Him? 43:44 Oh, it's interesting. We honor Him by keeping it. 43:48 That's pretty simple, isn't it? 43:51 There are several ways that can reveal 43:54 whether we honor Him or not. 43:55 So John 12:26, jot these things down quickly. 43:59 "If any man serve me, let him follow me," 44:01 interesting, "where I am, 44:03 there shall also my servant be." 44:05 Notice "if any man serve me, him will my Father honor." 44:11 If you serve Jesus my Father is going to honor. 44:13 If you are gonna do what God has said, 44:15 Father is gonna honor. Praise the Lord. 44:18 Revelation 4:11 the Bible said, 44:20 "Thou art worthy, 44:21 O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power." 44:25 So how do we honor Him? 44:27 Now what does it say we honor Him. 44:28 We call the Sabbath a delight. 44:31 We read that Isaiah 58:12, 13, it's simple. 44:35 "We honor God by not doing" what? 44:38 "Thine own ways." 44:40 You know what, one of the word you look at, 44:42 it says doing our-- our course actions. 44:47 Wow. 44:50 Our own conversation, our own mannerism, 44:53 the things that we do all the time. 44:55 Things done on everyday basis, wow. 45:00 We're gonna find real joy in doing things His way. 45:05 Because why? 45:06 Because Isaiah 58:2 says 45:08 "Delight" we need to delight "to know His ways." 45:12 Is it a delight to know God's ways? 45:14 Oh, it should be. 45:15 "Not finding thine own pleasure." 45:19 What does that mean? 45:21 Not finding thine own pleasure, 45:23 not finding thine own desire. 45:25 Your own delight or things that you like to do 45:28 even if they are good 45:30 as it were within themself, is God's time. 45:34 It's God's time. 45:35 Now I'm gonna get a little more personal with you. 45:36 I hope we have enough time 45:37 to get into some of these things because, 45:38 you know, we need to realize that we need not do 45:42 our own things the Bible said. 45:46 Not those things that we do 45:47 on other six days of the week, it's different. 45:50 And the Bible says, not speaking our own words. 45:54 Why? 45:55 We ought to speak the words of Christ. 45:58 We ought to speak encouragement, holy words. 46:01 Not everyday words, not everyday conversations, 46:04 but our conversation should be holy, 46:06 different than all the other days 46:09 and then comes the promise, then. 46:12 If we do these things, not your own pleasure, 46:15 not your own seeking, not your own words. 46:17 Find it a delight, and then the Bible says, 46:19 I like that, 46:21 "Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord." 46:24 Wow. He will cause you to ride on the high places. 46:28 God does require us to restrain 46:30 as were from physical labor on the Sabbath. 46:32 We know why. Why? 46:34 Oh, dos and don'ts? No. 46:36 Because it separates us from Him. 46:39 It separates us from Him. 46:41 If it weren't for the Sabbath, if you're like I am, 46:43 I'll probably be busy seven days a week. 46:45 Interesting. 46:46 God's knows His body, it needs some rest. 46:48 And we need to spend it with Him. 46:50 Work for money is just-- 46:53 it's forbidden on the Sabbath. 46:54 As I read it, work for, you know, for our self, 46:57 work for money is forbidden on the Sabbath. 47:00 Work for anything that brings, 47:02 you know, money into our own pocket 47:03 is wrong on the Sabbath. 47:05 Some of you are gonna say 47:06 and I know you've written before you're gonna say, 47:07 yeah, but I work at the hospital. 47:08 Well, praise God, 47:10 there are people at the hospital 47:11 that need to be cared for. 47:12 Nothing you are going out of line 47:14 but you need to-- but you know what, 47:15 that money still does not belong to you. 47:19 If the humanity needs some help, 47:21 they can't get any help, 47:23 you don't neglect the sick on the Sabbath. 47:25 You meet that need but don't put a nickel, 47:27 don't put a penny, don't put a meal, 47:30 whatever it is in your pocket. 47:31 That money you earn on that day is God's money. 47:34 It is holy and you need to turn it 47:35 in as such for the winning of souls. 47:38 It's not to pad your pocket, it's to win souls for God. 47:42 Why? Six days you can labor. 47:44 We mentioned conversation, let me do it quickly 47:46 right here, the fourth commandment 47:47 talks about we can even break the Sabbath by what? 47:49 Our conversation such as who is getting married, 47:52 you know, how to go work today, 47:55 who is partying, jesting and laughing 47:57 and talking and unimportant chatter. 47:59 We break the Sabbath by our conversation. 48:01 God help us. We've been guilty of it. 48:03 We don't want to do that, 48:04 we want to please you in everything. 48:07 You said don't speak your own words. 48:08 We can't deviate. 48:10 Remember the Bible, 48:11 we rest from our work on the Sabbath. 48:13 But you know what it says, too? Guard that tongue. 48:15 Guard that tongue on the Sabbath for it speaks 48:18 what's in the mind and in the heart. 48:20 Did you get it? 48:21 We are talking about all these things, 48:23 it reveals what's inside. 48:25 Bible said, 48:26 "Out of the abundance of the heart 48:28 the mouth speaketh," 48:29 Matthew 12:34, interesting. 48:32 None should feel free to spend sanctified time 48:36 in an unprofitable manner for sure. 48:39 We should be doing good on His days, 48:41 only those things that pertain to God. 48:45 Let's cover some of those areas. 48:46 I'll get a little bit personal with you. 48:48 Again it's not for everybody, 48:49 if you don't understand the issue I'm talking about, 48:52 you know, you need to pray about. 48:53 Just listen. Cover several areas 48:55 once again how to keep the Sabbath, 48:57 how to observe it, 48:58 how to leave it out in our lives. 49:00 You know why, 49:01 because it means eternal salvation 49:03 to be kept certainly by the grace of God. 49:06 Sabbath is holy unto the Lord. 49:08 Notice once again what happened. 49:09 God blessed and sanctified what? 49:11 The Sabbath day like no other day. 49:13 It's blessed, it's sanctified. 49:14 What God blesses is blessed forever. 49:17 Day of rest, day to go to church on, 49:19 day to fellowship. 49:20 Interesting, all the Bible writers, 49:22 the Old and the New Testament 49:23 were seventh day keepers, by the way. 49:25 You do know that, don't you? 49:26 And that included Jesus Christ our Lord and our Savior. 49:29 Can't go too wrong there, can you? 49:30 Yes, remember guard the edges of the Sabbath. 49:34 It's consecrated, it's holy, holy time. 49:37 Now notice, this is really personal 49:39 because some of us, we need to learn 49:40 how to dress when we come into the sanctuary 49:42 on the Sabbath. 49:43 Did some of you hear that? 49:45 We should know how. What? 49:47 We're are talking about sacred regard for God's day, 49:51 of heaven's day, 49:53 and it should be shown by the way 49:55 in which we come and which we meet. 49:56 We never just wear everyday clothes. 49:59 People write and ask these questions 50:00 so I'm trying to answer them. 50:02 Because you have sacred and you have common. 50:05 God requires the very best. I know that you have. 50:08 The best that you have He requires. 50:10 And let me tell you we should never 50:12 enter the presence of God in our everyday work clothes. 50:15 If that's all you have, we understand that, 50:17 but we can get some more. 50:19 Why? Because He is holy, because-- 50:21 And I do believe this with all my heart, you know. 50:25 A man should have a special Sabbath suit, 50:27 the woman should be wearing a dress 50:29 in the sanctuary on the Sabbath day. 50:31 I don't believe a woman wearing slacks and jeans 50:33 and stuff in the sanctuary on the Sabbath. 50:35 I don't believe that a minister should be getting up, 50:37 you know, in his tennis shoes and his jeans 50:39 and undershirt preaching from the pulpit. 50:41 I don't believe that at all. Why? 50:43 Because God's holy. He expects more than that. 50:45 You say, well, how do you know? 50:48 Do you remember what God talked at Mount Sinai 50:50 before the law was given? 50:52 He told the priest exactly what to wear 50:54 when they work for Him. 50:55 Do you remember? 50:56 And certainly when He came to give the Ten Commandments 50:58 what He told the people, you remember that? 50:59 He told them they need to sanctify themselves 51:01 and get it right, 51:02 get it cleaned up and clean yourself, 51:03 wash yourself up. 51:06 To appear into God's presence we must be clean, 51:08 we must be neat and trim 51:09 without adornment inside and out. 51:11 No business transactions on the Sabbath. 51:14 No work for livelihood, please keep that in mind, 51:18 not on God's day. 51:19 God forbid. 51:20 He gives us six days in which to do that. 51:23 No business conducted on the Sabbath. 51:25 Some people say, well, the circumstances. 51:26 No, there is no circumstances, 51:28 God said no, that's what He means. 51:30 And some people say they work so hard for six days 51:32 that they can hardly go to church on Sabbath 51:34 because they are too tired and they are too worn out. 51:36 I encourage you 51:37 to change your job if you have to. 51:39 People want to sleep the Sabbath hours away, 51:41 that's unacceptable to God. 51:43 It's nice to rest, we're supposed to rest. 51:45 But we sleep the Sabbath out, 51:46 remember, it's not your time to sleep. 51:48 Certainly you can rest a little bit 51:49 but not sleep all the hour. 51:50 It's God's holy time. 51:51 We ought to be out ministering to our fellow man. 51:53 We ought to lift up the name of Jesus. 51:56 God's given us wonderful example. 51:59 Of all the days of the week, 52:02 the seventh day is just suited for devotion, 52:04 it's for study, it's for thoughts, 52:06 it's for deeds, 52:07 it's for the Sabbath, the fellowship together. 52:11 Please, don't sleep in on Sabbath. 52:13 Bless your hearts. Some of, I'm telling you, 52:14 sleep in, oh, 52:16 and you come to church in such a mess. 52:17 It is such a mess, I'm telling you. 52:20 You know, we need to think about all these things. 52:22 Our time is running out, 52:24 we have more information, but we need to be very careful. 52:26 Even the food we eat, 52:27 how much we eat, it all can affect our thoughts. 52:30 And it can clog our mind 52:31 that we cannot get the blessings 52:32 that God wants to give us. 52:34 Remember, it's all about it's His time, it's not our time. 52:37 Be careful, the choices and decisions that we make 52:40 because it's God's day. 52:42 Do you want to please Him or are you gonna displease Him? 52:45 It's one or the other. 52:46 Is God is gonna say, well, I know, you know, it's okay. 52:49 I guess if they-- 52:51 He makes it real clear 52:52 what He approves of and what He doesn't, you know. 52:56 Don't give the Sabbath the pleasure seeking 52:58 or doing your own ways. 52:59 Don't use the Sabbath for personal purposes 53:02 that we've been talking about. 53:03 Buying, selling, eating out, buying cars. Talked to many 53:06 of them who said, I keep the Sabbath, 53:08 you're buying cars on the Sabbath, 53:09 you're eating out, 53:10 you're doing all kind of things, 53:11 you're playing sports, you're swimming. 53:13 You know what, 53:14 you say what's wrong with those things? 53:16 We forget God when we do those things 53:18 and Sabbath is put all those things away 53:20 and we spend our time with God. 53:22 It's holy, holy time, be careful, be careful. 53:27 You know, Sabbath, I'm gonna say this before we close, 53:30 the seventh day Sabbath is not made for us 53:33 to attend family reunions, 53:35 not to have birthday parties and weddings 53:37 and baby showers and graduations 53:39 and anniversary parties, washing the car, 53:41 cutting the hair, all these kind of thing. 53:43 I know it's personal. 53:44 That's not what the Sabbath's for at all. 53:46 These and many other things honor man 53:50 and the Sabbath, the seventh day, 53:51 24 hour period of time, is to honor what? God. 53:54 Shall we go over these things? 53:56 Our thoughts, our service are spiritual. 53:59 You know, in eating, our drinking, picture taking, 54:01 merriment, all these things. 54:03 Do they really honor God? 54:06 Maybe we need to rethink some things. 54:07 Maybe we need to ask God to help us. 54:10 And before I have prayer with you, 54:11 remember Sabbath day, quickly eight things, 54:13 healthful rest, two, holy deeds, 54:16 improve our spiritual condition, 54:17 rest from our labors, worship-- to worship on, 54:20 meet together, 54:21 meet and help suffering humanity, 54:24 comfort the sorrowing, 54:25 and make it a blessed day of the week. 54:28 Do you want to do that? 54:29 I know it's too much for some of you, 54:30 bless your heart, but others may wake you up 54:32 because sometimes in the pulpits 54:34 we are hearing things that we shouldn't be hearing. 54:35 And it's like everything is all right on the Sabbath. 54:37 Not on God's day. 54:38 So I pray the Holy Spirit is helping. 54:39 Can we pray about it? 54:41 I'm gonna kneel here. Where you can, well, you kneel. 54:42 Let's pray together. 54:45 Our kind loving heavenly Father, 54:46 we thank You for your word today. 54:48 Maybe difficult, heavy for some ears 54:51 but there are many ears longing to hear the truth, 54:54 the way it would be pleasing to be able to keep the Sabbath 54:57 that will please God. 54:58 So we pray as hearts and minds and ears are open, 55:00 where we fail we ask for forgiveness 55:02 and ask that You would train us. 55:04 Help us to see the spiritual, spiritual truths. 55:06 We are gonna thank You in advance 55:07 for what You are going to do. 55:08 And we thank You for the seventh day Sabbath 55:10 and the time spent with You. In Jesus name, amen. 55:15 Again we thank you for joining us, 55:17 you know. And we want to thank you 55:18 for again your cards and your letters 55:20 and your support to the ministry. 55:22 The present truth is that things that people want to hear 55:24 most generally not but, you know, 55:26 they are from the Word of God. 55:27 If He's got them in here, it's for you, it's for me. 55:29 It's not just for this group, that group, 55:30 it's for everybody. 55:32 Why don't you just prayerfully consider everything 55:33 that's been said here, pray about it? 55:35 And then would you pray, while you're praying, 55:37 how you can support this ministry 55:38 and keep these present day truths message 55:40 coming to you? 55:41 God bless you. We love you, we'll see you next time. 55:45 Hello again and welcome back. 55:47 I certainly hope that you found answers to your questions 55:51 on keeping the Sabbath holy. 55:53 Perhaps even, even answers to questions 55:56 that you didn't realize you should be asking. 55:58 God is holy and what He has sanctified 56:01 to be kept holy is to be treated as such. 56:05 The problem lies with us. 56:07 We are so far separated from understanding 56:10 true holiness that we often misunderstand 56:13 what God is asking of us in keeping the Sabbath holy. 56:17 But no more excuses now. 56:19 We just need more prayer and more study 56:22 and decisiveness to do that which is right 56:25 in the sight of heaven. 56:26 And Behold the Lamb Ministry wants to help you 56:29 do just that by making this five part series 56:33 available to you for your study library. 56:36 In ordering it from us 56:37 you will also be blessing the ministry 56:40 to do this work and to keep these messages 56:43 in front of our faithful partners 56:45 just like yourself. 56:46 We need your support, 56:48 we need workers in the field that are supporting us 56:50 and prayerfully keeping us going in reaching out 56:53 and sharing this blessed message 56:56 with other people. 56:58 This series "The Sabbath, a Test of Faith" 57:00 contains the following messages. 57:02 The Origin of the Sabbath, the Law and Grace, 57:06 How to Keep the Sabbath, 57:07 Revelation 14, and finally Avoiding the Mark of the Beast. 57:11 You don't want to miss any of these messages. 57:14 This series is being offered for a love gift 57:17 of just $35 or more here in the United States. 57:21 Mailings outside of the Untied States 57:23 will incur additional shipping fees. 57:26 Simply contact us here at Behold the Lamb Ministries, 57:29 by calling 618-942-5044, 57:34 that's Central Standard Time. 57:36 Or you may write 57:37 to Behold the Lamb Ministries, PO Box 2030, 57:41 Herrin, Il 62948. 57:44 You may email your order 57:45 at BeholdtheLambMinistries @yahoo.com 57:48 or visit us on our website 57:50 at www.BeholdtheLambMinistries .com. 57:54 Until next time, my precious friends, 57:57 may our wonderful Lord 57:59 continue to richly bless you and yours. |
Revised 2015-06-11