Participants:
Series Code: TDYFW
Program Code: TDYFW018018A
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00:01 I want to spend my life
00:07 Mending broken people 00:12 I want to spend my life 00:18 Removing pain 00:23 Lord, let my words 00:30 Heal a heart that hurts 00:34 I want to spend my life 00:40 Mending broken people 00:45 I want to spend my life 00:51 Mending broken people 01:09 Well, we want to welcome all of you 01:12 to 3ABN's Family Worship 01:15 and to wish you all a very happy Sabbath. 01:18 We always appreciate you joining with us 01:21 as we welcome in the Sabbath. 01:23 And tonight the subject 01:25 that we want to talk about is the Sabbath. 01:28 We here at 3ABN realize 01:31 that the vast majority of our viewers 01:34 aren't Seventh-day Adventists and something 01:37 that we as Seventh-day Adventist 01:40 really see the significance of, 01:42 see importance of is keeping the Sabbath, 01:46 of giving God this time, 01:49 of honoring and worshipping Him. 01:51 But we realize 01:52 if you weren't raised an Adventist, 01:56 then there's a possibility 01:58 that you don't really understand 02:00 why we do, what we do. 02:02 And we've dedicated this program this evening 02:06 to just explaining to you, again, 02:09 why we do, what we do. 02:12 And I have got 02:13 some of the 3ABN family with me, 02:15 and I would like to introduce them 02:17 to you now. 02:18 On my right, we have Janelle and Don Owen. 02:21 It's always so good to have you worship with us 02:24 on 3ABN Family Worship. 02:26 Thank you for inviting us. Thank you so much. 02:27 And to my left is Dee Hilderbrand. 02:30 It's wonderful to be here. 02:31 And, Dee, what a joy to have you. 02:33 Jonathan Babb, thank you for joining us. 02:35 Thank you. 02:36 And, Gary Will, thank you so much for being here. 02:38 Thank you for having me. 02:39 You know, something we want to do, 02:41 not just explain why we do, what we do, 02:44 but we also want to explain how we do, what we do. 02:48 And so what I've tried to do here 02:50 is have a cross-section. 02:52 I've got a young couple 02:54 that they have to prepare for this Sabbath, 02:57 I've got a family man 02:59 who has young children, I've got a single gentleman. 03:02 And, you know, you prepare for the Sabbath or just, 03:05 and I know you were raised in a home 03:07 that kept the Sabbath. 03:08 And then we've got my sister Dee Hilderbrand... 03:12 The elderly. The elderly. 03:14 And so we just our prayer 03:16 is it every one of us will take something away 03:20 from this program that will help you draw 03:23 closer to God and really appreciate 03:29 the beauty of keeping the Sabbath. 03:31 But before we go into the program, Gary, 03:34 will you please open in prayer. 03:36 Sure. 03:37 Dearly Father, we're so thankful 03:39 that we can be here this evening and open Your Word 03:43 and learn a little more about the relationship 03:46 You want to have with us. 03:47 Lord, You've set aside a day that we can, 03:50 that You want to spend with us. 03:52 And we're thankful for that day 03:53 that we can put aside 03:55 our earthly endeavors and pursuits 03:57 and just spend it with You. 03:58 And so we just ask that You would be here with us 04:00 this evening and with our viewers 04:02 that they might have a special blessing 04:04 that You've placed on the Sabbath day. 04:05 We pray this in your precious name, amen. 04:07 Amen. 04:09 You know, what we're going to do 04:10 is we're going to look at the commandment 04:13 where God Himself tells us that we are to remember 04:18 the Sabbath day to keep it holy, 04:21 the blessing that is associated with keeping the Sabbath 04:24 and so many other facets of keeping the Sabbath. 04:28 But some years ago, 04:30 I believe it was in 2008 and you may correct me. 04:33 I might be wrong in that 04:35 but I know it was 3ABN's 25th anniversary. 04:39 We introduced a music project to the world 04:43 that I think was one of the most impacting projects 04:47 that we have been a part of. 04:49 And one of the songs 04:50 that David Huntsinger wrote is "Remember the Sabbath", 04:53 and it's sung by Reggie Smith. 04:57 And I thought what better... 04:59 There couldn't be a more appropriate song 05:02 to open up this program than "Remember the Sabbath." 05:38 Remember the Sabbath 05:42 To keep it Holy 05:47 Honor the day 05:52 That our Lord commands us 05:55 To cease our toiling 06:01 And we obey 06:06 That we may know Him 06:13 And learn His patient ways 06:20 Keeping the Sabbath holy 06:26 In all 06:29 Our days 06:36 So enter His temple 06:40 With high thanksgiving 06:45 Worship the Lord 06:50 And fill up this house 06:54 With your voices ringing 06:59 Let them be heard 07:04 For we adore Him 07:11 And lift our hearts in praise 07:18 Keeping the Sabbath holy 07:25 In all 07:27 Our days 07:35 Remember the Sabbath 07:38 To keep it Holy Honor 07:43 The day 07:49 That our Lord commands us 07:52 To cease our toiling 07:56 And we obey And we obey 08:02 That we may know Him 08:08 And learn 08:10 His patient ways 08:17 Keeping the Sabbath holy 08:24 In all 08:27 Our days 08:41 You know, I think you can see 08:42 why that song was so appropriate. 08:45 "Remember the Sabbath", 08:47 Reggie and Ladye Love did such a beautiful job. 08:51 And it always brings my heart before the Lord. 08:55 The whole project, the whole Pillars project, 08:57 such an incredible number of songs 09:02 that draw you closer to the Lord. 09:03 Yes. 09:05 Well, again, we're looking at remembering 09:08 the Sabbath to keep it holy, 09:10 the purpose for the Sabbath why we do, what we do. 09:13 And, Jonathan, 09:15 there is a commandment associated 09:17 with keeping the Sabbath. 09:19 Do you have that commandment? 09:20 Yes, it's in Exodus 20:8-11, 09:26 and I'm reading out of the New King James. 09:28 "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 09:31 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 09:35 but the seventh day is the Sabbath 09:37 of the Lord your God. 09:38 In it you shall do no work, you, 09:41 nor your son, nor your daughter, 09:43 nor your male servant, 09:45 nor your female servant, nor your cattle, 09:47 nor your stranger who is within your gates. 09:51 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, 09:54 the sea, and all that is in them, 09:56 and rested the seventh day. 09:59 Therefore the Lord blessed 10:00 the Sabbath day and hallowed it." 10:03 So he gave us a commandment. 10:06 I believe it is the Fourth Commandment. 10:08 Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. 10:11 And He blessed the day and He sanctified the day, 10:15 and it's the only day that is blessed 10:18 and sanctified of the Lord. 10:20 You know, when I was listening to that song, I just... 10:21 A scripture popped in my head. 10:23 It was Psalm 46:10, powerful scripture. 10:27 It goes very long 10:28 with this whole concept of the Sabbath, 10:30 and it says something there is a promise for us. 10:32 Psalm 46:10, just let me get there real quick. 10:36 All right, Psalm 46:10 says, 10:41 "Be still, and know that I am God. 10:44 I will be exalted among the nations, 10:47 I will be exalted in the earth!" 10:49 And just thinking about that Sabbath day, 10:51 you know, exalting the Lord as I said, 10:52 you know, remember the Sabbath day 10:54 to keep it holy and lift high His name, 10:57 you know, and praise Him and just... 10:59 You know, we're talking 11:01 about being prepared for the Sabbath 11:02 and how do we actually view the Sabbath 11:03 and just think about that foreseeing the angels 11:07 and to all of the universe and talking and it's just huge. 11:10 This Bible actually has a little bit of commentary. 11:14 This is an Andrew Study Bible 11:18 and on those verses in Exodus 11:21 that Jonathan read, it says, 11:25 the word "remember," the word implies 11:27 that this Fourth Commandment, the Sabbath was already known. 11:31 Israelites would think of its origin in Genesis 2:2-3 11:35 and it's mentioned earlier 11:36 in Exodus 16:5, 22-30. 11:42 The command to remember the Sabbath is explained 11:44 with reference to the Genesis creation. 11:46 And there's several more lines here 11:49 that talk about that, 11:51 but I thought that was interesting 11:52 that it mentioned creation specifically. 11:55 But the Sabbath is to help us remember who we are. 12:00 We are created in God's image. 12:04 So He set the Sabbath aside very specifically 12:07 so that we would reflect on who we were, 12:09 that we were a creation 12:10 and who He was and what that relationship is. 12:15 The Sabbath to me is a relationship. 12:17 Amen. 12:19 Absolutely, and it's interesting 12:20 that the Fourth Commandment is read in the creation story, 12:26 and that's where the origin actually comes from. 12:28 And we just recently had Pastor Bohr 12:30 on our network and he actually 12:32 had some really interesting insight 12:33 about the Sabbath. 12:34 I felt like and that is, you know, we often think 12:38 that Adam and Eve kept the first Sabbath. 12:40 But however, if you look at the creation story, 12:43 the Sabbath hadn't actually been created 12:45 the first day 12:46 that they actually spent on earth with God, 12:48 it was actually created in the evening. 12:51 So it was after God rested the Sabbath day. 12:54 So and that's why the command is written the way it is, 12:57 like six days do our labor and our work 13:01 and then rest 13:02 'cause that's exactly what God had done. 13:04 And so, I don't think we can keep the Sabbath 13:08 unless we've done that. 13:09 You know, kept the first six days of working 13:12 just like God showed us 13:13 how to and then spend that relation, 13:15 a lot of which is about relationship. 13:17 The Sabbath is all about relationship. 13:19 Relationships with that. 13:20 So we can lay a foundation here 13:23 that the reason we keep the Sabbath, 13:26 number one, and most important, 13:29 God commanded us too. 13:30 It is the Fourth Commandment 13:32 and it starts out with the word "remember," 13:37 and I appreciate what you read there 13:40 that it's something that they were already doing. 13:43 And so just remember to keep the Sabbath holy. 13:46 Now in keeping the Sabbath holy, 13:49 Dee, is there a blessing 13:52 that comes with being obedient to God 13:55 and keeping the Sabbath? 13:57 You know, in Isaiah 58:13-14, 14:02 it's very clear that says, 14:05 "If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, 14:08 from doing your pleasure on My holy day, 14:12 and call the Sabbath a delight, 14:15 the holy day of the Lord honorable, 14:17 and shall honor Him, 14:19 not doing your own ways, not finding your own pleasure, 14:23 nor speaking your own words, 14:25 then you shall delight yourself in the Lord. 14:28 And I will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth, 14:34 and feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father. 14:37 The mouth of the Lord has spoken." 14:40 And when God speaks, it is, it becomes. 14:46 So there is absolutely 14:48 this incredible blessing that God... 14:52 The special blessing of the Sabbath 14:54 that re-strengthens our relationship 14:56 and the stronger our relationship, 14:58 the greater God can work through us, 15:00 the rest of the other six days. 15:03 So there is definitely a blessing in the Sabbath. 15:07 I like that first part of 14, 15:09 it says, you shall delight yourself in the Lord. 15:12 I mean I think about that 15:13 that's where the Sabbath is a delight 15:15 as you mentioned earlier, 15:16 it's relational and I've been taking 15:18 some of these people, 15:19 I have been doing Bible study with 15:20 and showing them in the Bible, 15:22 so many people get confused in the Bible 15:23 and why I share this is all people see 15:25 God in the Old Testament is this horrible mean, 15:27 vindicating person or entity, then in the New Testament, 15:31 see Jesus loving free going guy. 15:34 Well, if you take Him to the Bible 15:35 through certain scriptures, 15:37 you can see that actually 15:38 when Adam first opened his eyes, 15:40 the first person he saw was Jesus. 15:42 And if you believe in Jesus, 15:44 you love Jesus, you want to follow Jesus, 15:45 then you can see in Genesis 2 that Jesus is the one 15:48 who was there during the Sabbath. 15:50 The very first initiated Sabbath. 15:51 I think that's a really powerful key. 15:53 A lot of people don't realize 15:54 that Jesus was already there in that Sabbath hours 15:56 with Adam and Eve. 15:58 And that makes a profound impact on people 16:00 and they can go, "Oh, my God, I've never seen it before." 16:03 Now you can get a more clear picture 16:04 of how we should delight. 16:05 I mean if we delight in Jesus, 16:07 you want to delight in keeping the Sabbath. 16:09 You know, you made a statement, the Old Testament, 16:11 people have this image of God in the Old Testament, 16:15 that is different from the image of God 16:17 in the New Testament. 16:18 Is there any difference in the God 16:20 of the Old Testament with the God of...? 16:22 Absolutely, none. 16:23 What does Philip says to Jesus? 16:28 Show us the Father. 16:30 And what does Jesus says Philip, 16:33 "Have I been with you so long? 16:35 Do you not know that if you've seen Me, 16:39 you've seen the Father? 16:40 The Father of the Old Testament 16:43 and the Father of the New Testament 16:45 are one and the same. 16:46 Absolutely, yeah. Full of grace and love. 16:49 And everything God says, everything God tells us to do, 16:53 this commandment is for our own good. 16:56 Everything God does is redemptive 16:58 to bring blessings and joy, what does it say? 17:01 How many of you feel like your life 17:03 doesn't have 17:04 the blessings associated with it 17:06 that you would like for it to have? 17:08 Listen at this. 17:10 If you will delight yourself in the Lord concerning 17:13 keeping the Sabbath, 17:14 "I will cause thee to ride 17:16 upon the high places of the earth." 17:18 Do you want to ride 17:19 on the high places of the earth? 17:20 Be obedient to God's Word. 17:23 "And feed thee with the heritage 17:24 of Jacob thy father." 17:26 That's a wonderful promise, isn't it? 17:27 Yes. 17:29 In reading these, our negative human nature 17:31 kind of tends to focus on the negative. 17:33 And so it would be tempting, in this verse, 17:34 we just read to say, 17:36 "Oh, well, I can do 17:37 what I want to do on the Sabbath, 17:38 God is so restrictive in everything. 17:41 But you take that in relationship 17:42 with your spouse, or your kids, or any relationships you have, 17:46 if you're texting 17:48 while they're trying to talk to you 17:49 or before you go to bed, 17:51 if you get in climbing bed with your wife 17:53 and she's on Facebook 17:55 and you're trying to tell her about something, 17:57 how interested is she ain't really, 17:59 you know, she is not that interested 18:01 in what you have to say. 18:02 And God wants that relation with us, 18:04 so it's not a negative thing, He's saying, put those aside. 18:06 He's saying, actually, 18:08 you know what, I want to bless you 18:10 if you spend time with Me 'cause God is a source of life. 18:13 And if we spend time with Him, 18:15 then we're drawing from that source of life, 18:17 and power, and light. 18:19 And so, you know, it's not a negative requirement 18:22 that we put our things aside, it's actually very positive 18:24 'cause now we can focus on that relationship 18:28 He wants to have with us. 18:29 You know, we want to have a relationship 18:31 with our children. 18:32 And so are there not times 18:35 when we want to tell our children, 18:37 "Put that cell phone down, 18:38 put that video game down, come, spend time with me." 18:42 We do that because we want to restrain something 18:46 from our children or we negative, no, 18:48 it's personal to develop a loving relationship 18:51 with our children. 18:52 Gary, I want you to look in Matthew 12 18:56 because something that I feel like occasionally, 18:59 we're going to look at verses 10 through 12. 19:01 Occasionally, I have felt that that we can be 19:07 unjustly accused of is "legalism." 19:11 This can be legalistic. 19:13 And I want us to look at some principles 19:17 that Jesus Himself laid down 19:21 concerning the Sabbath. 19:22 So, Gary, if you will read Matthew 12:10-12. 19:27 Okay. 19:28 And this is from the King James Version. 19:30 "And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. 19:33 And they asked him, saying, 19:35 is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath days? 19:38 That they might accuse him. 19:39 And he said unto them, 19:41 What man shall there be among you, 19:43 that shall have one sheep, 19:45 and if it fall into a pit on the Sabbath day, 19:47 will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out?" 19:51 And then verse 12, 19:53 "How much then is a man better than a sheep? 19:56 Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the Sabbath day." 20:00 So it's lawful to do good on the Sabbath? 20:02 Affirmative, yes. Amen. 20:04 I have an example of that. 20:06 I know you've got some examples of that. 20:08 But what I want us to see is 20:12 that it's the latter of the law that kills 20:16 but what does the spirit do? 20:18 The spirit gives life 20:20 and we are to remember the Sabbath to keep it holy. 20:23 We aren't to do our own pleasure, 20:25 but we are to do the things of the Father. 20:28 And do we do that as a legalistic thing. 20:31 No, we've seen that it's relational, 20:34 it's an outcropping of your heart, 20:36 it's an overflow from your heart 20:39 to be obedient to God. 20:42 But it's lawful to do good things. 20:46 So what is good? What are good things? 20:49 Do you have an example? Will you share about it? 20:51 Well, I know at church one day on Sabbath, 20:54 you know, there's lots of people 20:55 that have allergies out there. 20:57 So one of our young ladies who is very careful usually 21:00 but she is like only 10 or 11 years old. 21:03 She ate something that she had an allergy to. 21:07 And we realized immediately she is having an allergy 21:09 and they didn't have anything, I don't know why, usually, 21:11 you're carrying some, 21:13 they didn't have anything on Sabbath. 21:15 I ran, and I didn't realize the pastor ran, 21:17 we almost collided at the front door, 21:19 we were both headed out to go get the Benadryl 21:24 and I let the pastor go. 21:27 But we were immediately, you take care of that, 21:31 you don't say, "Oh, I'm sorry, this is the Sabbath. 21:33 I can't run up to the store and buy something 21:35 that's going to save a life or at least make it 21:40 so that she didn't have to go to the hospital." 21:43 So that is doing good 21:45 and there was no question in our minds of what the right, 21:48 the good thing to do even though it was Sabbath. 21:50 Yeah, and I know each of you 21:52 have examples I would like for you to share. 21:54 But I'm thinking of some while back, 21:57 it might have been 2011, I get my storm dates mixed up. 22:01 We had all of these tornadoes come 22:05 through Southern Illinois 22:08 and they came through on Friday evening 22:12 and they were called inland hurricanes. 22:16 Straight line hurricanes. Yes. 22:18 Anyway it was horrible to have a station in this area. 22:23 And so on Sabbath morning, 22:27 you get up and there are people that don't have electricity, 22:31 there are trees fallen in their driveway 22:34 and they can't get out. 22:36 Do you know what a group of Seventh-day Adventist, 22:40 Sabbath keepers did? 22:43 They got their chainsaws 22:46 and they went in and they helped people out. 22:48 Helped them 22:50 and so that they could get out of their house, 22:53 get their roads cleared because what does Jesus say, 22:58 it's lawful to do good on the Sabbath. 23:00 Now do we if we can avoid it, do we go and do physical labor 23:06 unless it's doing good and there's a purpose for it, 23:09 we wouldn't clean our house on Sabbath. 23:12 When do we clean our house, Janelle? 23:14 Any other time. I love that. 23:17 Any other time. 23:18 It's nice to do it at Friday morning 23:20 and if you can, 23:21 so that you have a nice house but... 23:22 Yeah, it's not that we don't know 23:24 and we don't want to, 23:26 we're not to buy and sell on the Sabbath, are we? 23:28 And I think there might be 23:29 some scriptures you want to look at. 23:31 Actually, thank you. I want you to go to that word. 23:33 Dee, you have that Benadryl 23:35 had to be purchased on a Saturday... 23:36 Yes. 23:38 Because we don't say, 23:39 "What, you know, I can't go buy anything 23:40 on the Sabbath. 23:42 Let the poor child die or suffer or whatsoever." 23:43 It's horrible. 23:45 See, it's lawful to do good on the Sabbath. 23:47 Christ like. Yeah, Nehemiah 13. 23:49 Now Nehemiah was... 23:51 This man was powerful, I mean what he did. 23:53 His heart was so torn by what he saw happening 23:56 in his hometown that the king noticed 23:59 that something was going on, 24:00 so he send with all these wares and money and halls to create 24:03 that he can rebuild Jerusalem 24:04 but at the end, they finally got the gates 24:06 and the walls restored and the reason why is 24:09 because they want to keep up all these things, 24:10 they were going to make them profane 24:12 or defile the Sabbath... 24:14 Let's see verse, I wrote down 17, 24:16 I will just pick it up from there, it says, 24:18 "Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, 24:20 and said to them, 24:21 What evil thing is this that you do 24:24 by which you profane the Sabbath? 24:26 Did not your fathers do thus, 24:28 and did not our God bring all this disaster on us 24:31 and on this city? 24:32 Yet you bring added wrath on Israel 24:34 by profaning the Sabbath." 24:35 And verse 19, 24:37 "So it was, at the gates of Jerusalem, 24:39 as it began to be dark before the Sabbath, 24:41 that I commanded the gates to be shut, 24:43 and charged that they must not be opened 24:45 till after the Sabbath. 24:47 Then I posted 24:48 some of my servants at the gates, 24:49 so that no burdens," that's big word, 24:51 "would be brought in on the Sabbath day." 24:53 Don't bring burdens on the Sabbath day. 24:55 Verse 20, "Now the merchants and sellers 24:57 of all kinds of wares lodged outside Jerusalem 24:59 once or twice. 25:01 Then I warned them, and said to them, 25:02 'Why do you spend the night around the wall? 25:04 If you do so again, I will lay hands on you!' 25:07 From that time on they came no more on the Sabbath." 25:10 So Nehemiah is saying, hey... 25:11 It's chapter 13. 25:13 Yeah, chapter 13, verses 17-21, 25:16 is just a idea that the Sabbath is very holy to God 25:19 and now we can easily get lost in that line of gray area. 25:23 We think, well, we can get away with this and God won't mind. 25:26 It's very important. 25:27 And I like somebody mentioned earlier, 25:29 you know, about the idea of, kind of, marriage, 25:30 I thought about the relational thing is 25:32 it's one is God is intimate and intentional, 25:36 and for us we need to be intimate intentional back 25:38 'cause you're mentioning about the cell phones, 25:39 somebody is and you're trying to talk, 25:41 you know, like okay, 25:43 this is not communicating obviously, 25:44 there's nothing getting through 25:45 but God wants to communicate with us. 25:47 He does that more importantly on a Sabbath, 25:49 that's the day we can communicate with Him. 25:52 One of my answer first for the Sabbath 25:54 that's her date with God. 25:55 All right. Yeah. 25:57 See that's almost anyone you talk to. 25:59 If they talk about a broken relationship, 26:03 what is the main reason that it broke. 26:05 And usually it's time spend together. 26:09 Spouses, children, father, children relationship, 26:14 they never say, they didn't buy me this 26:16 or it's always they didn't spend time, 26:19 they didn't do things together. 26:21 So if earthly relationships are broken 26:24 due to lack of time spent together, 26:26 why would we think that the relationship with God 26:28 would be any different 26:30 because we're created in His image. 26:32 Yeah, I was going a share a story 26:33 on something we did on the Sabbath 26:35 which I'm not saying to everybody, 26:36 it depends on your walk with the Lord 26:37 where you're at 26:39 but we got to do something called 26:40 the solar eclipse here last year. 26:42 And Moonstock, Moonstock had a Joann Bonifacio was born. 26:45 I'm sure many of you are familiar 26:47 with this man's name. 26:48 But anyways we're giving out books 26:49 and one of the young men approached the tent, 26:52 and it was on the Sabbath day. 26:53 And I pray that people understand 26:55 this God says to do good, Jesus says to do good. 26:58 And this young man needed a tent. 26:59 He didn't have a tent. 27:01 He came for a specific band and actually canceled. 27:03 He flew all the way from Kazakhstan 27:05 which is underneath Russia, first time ever to America. 27:07 And so he came in and he said, "I want to rent a tent." 27:10 Couldn't rent a tent, so I heard his story, I said, 27:13 "Hey, let's go and get you a tent." 27:15 I did not personally purchase the tent but he did. 27:18 And then he want to do 27:19 some more shopping somewhere else 27:21 and so I did, I took him there and he, 27:23 his first time to America. 27:24 He says, "Don Owen, "I want to tell you something," 27:25 he says, "This is the best day I've ever had." 27:27 And it turned out this young man was a Muslim. 27:29 Oh, my. I did not know it. 27:31 Yeah, so the next day we took him 27:32 to a Amtrak got him up to go to Chicago. 27:36 But he was a shock, when he found out 27:37 one of the guys was with us, 27:39 he said, he want to give me money 27:41 for taking to places. 27:42 I said, "No, no, no." I said. 27:44 And one guy said, "That's what we Christians do." 27:45 And this guy just went, 27:47 I don't know how to respond to that. 27:49 At the Moonstock gateway literature 27:53 and things like that and Great Controversies and... 27:56 You were doing good on the Sabbath... 27:57 Yeah. 27:58 And saying, this is what Christians do 28:00 is good on the Sabbath. 28:01 He was 40. He didn't know what to say. 28:03 The only thing that came out his mouth 28:04 was just thank you, thank you. 28:06 Just blew him away. 28:08 But why did... 28:10 It was the next question, why do we have the Sabbath? 28:13 Why did God create the Sabbath? 28:15 Well, I was thinking that concerning Nehemiah, 28:20 He was very adamant concerning those 28:23 that were being disobedient on the Sabbath. 28:26 And my question would be 28:28 why was it so vitally important to him 28:31 that he strengthened the people out 28:33 and he gave them stringent guidelines, 28:35 it's because He knows 28:37 that if we're not obedient to God, 28:40 that God's hand of blessing can't be on us. 28:42 I'm thinking of Deuteronomy and there is this, oh, list, 28:48 that is exceedingly long that says, 28:50 "If you are obedient to Me, 28:53 if you will keep My words and obey My commandments," 28:57 what happens to you? 28:58 All things blessings are poured out on you. 29:01 You're blessed in your garden, 29:04 and you're blessed in your house in your, 29:06 the blessings of God are just poured, 29:08 but if you are disobedient, all these curses come on you. 29:13 Nehemiah wasn't trying to be mean to the people, 29:16 he was putting... 29:18 Educating them. 29:19 Putting them in a position to be 29:21 the recipient of all of these blessings. 29:24 We had the example of Balaam. 29:26 Balaam told the king that the only way 29:28 you're going to get God to curse these people is 29:32 if you can get them to disobey God 29:33 'cause disobedience separates us 29:36 from the blessing God has. 29:38 He doesn't take His hand away from us completely 29:40 so that we're left abandoned to Satan, 29:43 but it does separate from those blessings 29:44 and the Sabbath 29:46 is just one of those extra blessings of communion. 29:49 I was talking with my kids the other day 29:50 about the Sabbath and how it's origin, 29:53 you know, God created on the first day. 29:55 At the first day of creation He created day to spend with us 29:58 and then you go back to the Bible in Revelation, 30:00 you have God moving His throne of the universe 30:05 to this planet that we walk on is going to be 30:07 the throne of heaven. 30:09 And so the Bible starts out with the relationship, 30:12 it ends with relation, 30:13 a close intimate person to person relationship, 30:16 and God never wanted the separation to happen for us 30:19 in the time that we're living in now, 30:21 and that's why He gave us the day 30:23 so that even though 30:24 we can't be face to face with Him, 30:26 we can still have that communion 30:27 and that walk with him through our life 30:29 and then we'll receive those blessings 30:30 that we're talking about. 30:32 I was going to touch on Nehemiah 30:33 when you mentioned it, 30:35 what came in my mind was a scripture. 30:36 It's 1 Corinthians 14:33 and in there it says that, 30:40 God is not... 30:42 He's not the author of confusion 30:43 but of order or peace. 30:45 And that's why He's ordered these specific days, 30:48 six days shall you do labor, 30:49 on the seventh day, you shall rest. 30:51 It's an order in which we need, 30:52 you know, they actually try to change 30:54 the week to 10 days. 30:55 Didn't work? 30:57 No, it just totally flopped in their face. 30:58 And so God has given us, like as Pastor Lomacang says, 31:01 there's a circadian rhythm, 31:03 there is a rhythm to things in that. 31:04 Sabbath is very necessary for us to recharge 31:07 or if you want to be blessed to be a blessing 31:09 during the week so. 31:10 And you're talking about Nehemiah, 31:12 there's also, we read earlier from Isaiah 58:13-14, 31:17 but earlier in that chapter, 31:19 actually, it's verse 12. 31:23 It says, "Those from among 31:24 you shall build the old waste places, 31:27 and you shall raise up 31:29 the foundations of many generations, 31:31 you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach, 31:33 The Restorer of Streets to dwell In." 31:35 And I think that's a beautiful picture too 31:37 that's what I think of when I think of Nehemiah, 31:40 that's what he was doing. 31:41 He was preparing the breach and he was bringing them back 31:44 to what God had intended for the Sabbath. 31:48 And, you know, Dee, 31:49 we were looking at some of the aspects 31:54 that Jesus light down concerning the Sabbath. 31:58 And in Matthew 2:27, there's a scripture 32:01 that I think would be very appropriate here. 32:07 Matthew 2, I'm not sure it was 27. 32:11 But what the verse we're looking for is the one 32:13 that says, "And He said unto them, 32:16 'The Sabbath was made for man, and not man...'" 32:19 Mark 2:27. Right, Mark 2:27. 32:23 "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath." 32:27 That's right. 32:28 I don't even know how to explain this 32:30 but the blessing is for men, 32:34 not for God, God didn't do it for himself, 32:36 He did it for us and I don't know 32:39 how He inhabits the Sabbath 32:42 and I don't know how do you explain 32:43 that in human terms 32:46 but somehow time and place is different for God. 32:50 But this 24 hours 32:52 that He created for us to benefit, 32:55 He inhabits it. 32:57 So when you move into the Sabbath 33:00 and like I say, I don't know how to explain 33:03 that it's something that you experience, 33:05 you move into the Sabbath 33:07 and He is there, He inhabits it. 33:09 So and when you live there, 33:14 you love Him and you want to worship Him, 33:17 and it's your desire you want to praise and worship Him 33:21 for what He did, and it's just a place 33:24 that you inhabit with Him somehow. 33:28 You have to experience it. It's like the Grand Canyon. 33:32 The first time I went there, 33:33 I couldn't believe the experience of it 33:36 and so after that experience, I was like, 33:38 it's not something you can take a picture of, 33:40 it's not you can take a video, 33:41 it's something you have to experience 33:43 and the Sabbath is like that. 33:44 And something you have to experience with God 33:47 and with your family and stuff. 33:49 Jonathan, you know, we're talking about 33:51 the Sabbath being a 24 hour period of time. 33:56 When does the Sabbath actually began 33:58 and when does it end? 33:59 It actually begins Friday night at setting of the sun, 34:03 and then ends Saturday 34:06 or Sabbath night at setting of the sun. 34:10 And I think that's really nice because it allows us to, 34:15 we're going to be getting into preparation on Friday 34:18 and it allows us to... 34:20 In my mind, gracefully come into the Sabbath. 34:23 It's not something that the Sabbath 34:25 doesn't come up on us while we're in bed sleeping, 34:28 we prepare for it on Friday 34:31 and then we get to experience it, 34:34 coming into it, and enjoy it all day Sabbath, 34:37 and then gracefully leave Sabbath. 34:39 We never truly, 34:41 you know, we see the Sabbath ends, 34:42 but our communion with God never ends. 34:45 That's right. 34:46 You know, we're going to look at Sabbath preparation again. 34:50 I've got all these different age groups 34:52 so that we can speak to everyone I hope. 34:55 But, you know, Dee, you touched on something, 34:58 Gary, you reiterated it, 35:01 of experiencing the truth of the Sabbath, 35:04 the blessing of the Sabbath. 35:06 Now until you have it's not a clue 35:09 what you're talking about. 35:11 Jonathan, I'm going to ask you this 35:13 because I know your mother and dad 35:15 and I know your whole family. 35:18 Tell me the first time you experienced the Sabbath? 35:23 Can you go back that far? 35:24 I don't think I could point to a specific time 35:28 as to when I experienced Sabbath 35:29 because for me, 35:32 my family has always been Seventh-day Adventists. 35:34 We've always followed that growing up. 35:37 So I can't really point to a specific time 35:40 that I even remember it. 35:42 It's just something we've, our family has been, 35:45 you know, taken part of all growing up. 35:49 And even now, 35:53 I like Friday, 35:55 I'm preparing my house 35:57 and you're doing what I need to on Friday. 36:00 But then as sundown comes, 36:02 getting close to Sabbath, I just feel like I can relax. 36:05 You know, I can put everything out of my mind, 36:08 everything else away and just relax 36:11 and come into the Sabbath. 36:12 Did you... 36:14 Because of your family in the way 36:15 you grew up doing it all the time, 36:16 did you just kind of grow into the relationship 36:19 and then at some point you just recognize 36:23 that it's your relationship 36:24 that you're experiencing instead of...? 36:26 Yeah, I don't think that would be... 36:28 Yeah, may be why you can't point 36:29 to an exact Sabbath, is that it was a growing, 36:32 a walk with the Lord that became your own? 36:34 Right. 36:35 You know, initially it would have been, 36:37 you know, I did it 'cause my family did it. 36:40 And but at certain point, 36:43 you know, just somewhere along the way, 36:46 it moves from being something 36:47 that my family does to something that I do. 36:50 Yeah, I know that you live on your own now 36:52 if I understand correctly, 36:54 and so no longer are you following 36:57 what mom and dad is doing at home, 36:58 but you're establishing your own patterns. 37:01 And that's where you know whether or not 37:04 it took root in your heart 37:06 or whether you are just following your parents, 37:11 which there's nothing wrong 37:12 with doing what your parents show you today. 37:14 But at some point it has to take root in your heart. 37:17 You don't truly know most time, 37:19 you know, what you're going to believe 37:21 and what you're going to follow 37:22 until you don't have anybody else telling you 37:26 what to do. 37:28 See, it's very different for you 37:30 and also different for me from other people 37:32 because you used to celebrate the Sabbath 37:35 in a family group, there was six... 37:38 How many of you? Six. 37:39 Six of you. 37:40 Now there is one and you're a young man, 37:43 I'm older and there's just one of me, 37:46 and it's totally different celebrating the Sabbath 37:49 alone without another person there 37:52 or a couple or a family or children. 37:56 You have to have a discipline 38:00 because there is no accountability partner 38:04 that is human, okay? 38:07 And the thing is where the relationship comes in 38:10 is that why do you prepare. 38:12 Why do we prepare? 38:14 So you want to prepare for the Sabbath, 38:16 so when you fall in love with the Lord 38:19 so deeply and so much, 38:20 you want to be prepared to have that time with Him 38:23 and so you don't want your secular duties 38:26 or your physical needs to interfere with that time. 38:30 And if you don't prepare as best you can 38:33 because stuff happens, 38:35 then you have to take part of that time. 38:39 Let's say you went out on a date 38:41 and you're out there having this wonderful time 38:44 and Donald all of a sudden says, 38:45 "Oh, I forgot, I have to interrupt this date 38:48 and go take care of this." 38:49 Now how would you feel about that? 38:52 So that's kind of what we do with the Lord. 38:56 We interrupt our time together to go do something 38:59 'cause we weren't prepared. 39:00 Yeah, I wanted us to look at preparation for the Sabbath 39:05 and we're going to call it Preparation Day. 39:07 I want us in Exodus 16 39:10 because there are some scriptures there 39:13 that I want us to look at 39:16 and Preparation Day. 39:20 Janelle, tell me what Preparation Day is? 39:23 It's the time that we have to get ready 39:25 for the Sabbath, leading up to the Sabbath. 39:29 It's cleaning the house, it's getting the food ready, 39:32 it's getting your clothes ready for the next day for church. 39:36 It's all those practical needs that we have. 39:39 So those would be the things that we do on Friday. 39:42 We use Friday in the Old Testament. 39:47 The pattern that was laid down was on Friday. 39:50 You prepare for the Sabbath and I wanted to... 39:55 We're going to look at other scriptures 39:56 but I wanted to read 39:58 verse 23 in Exodus 16. 40:02 It's, "Then he said to them," and this is Moses talking, 40:06 "This is what the Lord hath said, 40:10 Tomorrow is the Sabbath rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord. 40:15 Bake what you will bake today." 40:17 Now he is talking to the preparation day, 40:20 preparation day being Friday. 40:23 He is talking to them on Friday. 40:25 "And boil what you will boil and lay up for your seethe, 40:29 all that remains to be kept until morning." 40:32 So the instruction... 40:34 Now where do we get these instructions? 40:37 They are from Moses' but God spoke this to Moses 40:40 and he is saying, on Friday, the day before the Sabbath. 40:45 Take care of all of this get your house in order 40:48 as you were saying, get your clothes in order 40:51 but get your food in order as well. 40:53 I was going to say can we take this a little step further? 40:55 Sure. 40:57 Put yourself spiritually in order. 40:58 And spiritually in order. That's key. That's huge. 41:01 You know, yeah, definitely the physical almost, 41:02 I think the spiritual even more 41:04 'cause you're coming into a holy communion 41:06 with the holy God and He wants nothing 41:08 but the best that we have to offer Him so. 41:09 Okay. 41:11 So we're again, we're talking to those 41:15 that may not have ever had teaching on the Sabbath. 41:21 I hope you watch 3ABN long enough, 41:22 you'll get a lot a teaching on the Sabbath. 41:25 But this preparation day 41:28 and I want to start with you, Gary, 41:29 because I know, yourself 41:33 and your wife and your children, 41:36 you prepare, you make sure 41:38 that come sundown on Friday afternoon 41:42 that all is in order. 41:45 Well, my understanding 41:46 that Jews had their weekly system 41:51 always looking towards the Sabbath day. 41:54 They didn't reckon time like we do, 41:56 we have, you know, Monday, Tuesday, Sunday and all that. 41:59 They were like the first day to the Sabbath, 42:01 the second day to the Sabbath, 42:03 and I think we've lost some of that 42:04 in our western thinking 42:05 because we're all into the day in the moment 42:09 what we have to do today and we're not really thinking 42:11 about what's coming next so much. 42:14 And that the Jews were always thinking 42:16 of the Sabbath day and preparing for physically, 42:19 spiritually, mentally, 42:22 and I think 42:23 that's a good example for us today 42:25 even is we can take our lives and order them 42:28 so that we're always looking to the day 42:30 we're going to get to spend with God. 42:31 And so with my family 42:33 what we like to do is on Friday evening, 42:37 we like to have everything prepared, 42:38 the house prepared, and everything, 42:41 and we start off with maybe some songs. 42:44 We would let the kids pick some songs they like to sing, 42:47 we get the hymnal out, 42:49 wear the pages out on the hymnal, 42:51 the kids will maybe share a memory verse 42:53 that they've learned that week 42:55 or let them do the reading of that, 42:56 we're reading that week. 42:58 So what you're doing 42:59 is you're involving the children. 43:00 Absolutely. 43:02 Which, Jonathan, I think you will say 43:03 that that trained you 43:04 so that when you're no longer with mom and dad, 43:07 you can still take the practice. 43:09 Absolutely. 43:10 And I appreciate what Jonathan said 43:11 because he's actually doing 43:13 what you a parent wants their child to do 43:15 and that's to continue on that Sabbath keeping 43:19 that you started in the home, however, when I left home, 43:22 I didn't want to have anything do with that. 43:24 I was raised Seventh-day Adventist, 43:25 I was going to church, but I stopped attending. 43:27 And so nowadays, I don't want to go to church 43:29 or to keep the Sabbath holy 43:30 because of something my parents did, 43:32 I love spending time with the Lord, 43:34 I love this especially I love the blessing 43:36 that Dee was talking about that 43:38 you get when you spend that time with God. 43:40 And it's interesting the thing you said 43:41 about the dark coming 43:44 before the light part of the day is, 43:46 you know, God doesn't surprise like certain morning, 43:48 you know, all of sudden it's Sabbath. 43:50 He actually gives us rest, let's our bodies, 43:53 our minds heal over the night 43:56 so that when we wake up in the morning, 43:57 we're prepared, our mental abilities, 44:00 our physical abilities is prepared to spend 44:02 that day with Him. 44:03 And I love the fact that the darkness does come 44:05 before the light. 44:07 I like what too, and I like what you're talking about 44:08 with the Jewish system of keeping time 44:11 and we're so used to our fast paced world 44:14 and, you know, we have the 24 hours, 44:17 but in our minds, the way our days normally go 44:19 is the 24 hours morning and night, 44:22 but the way the Sabbath is designed sunset to sunset, 44:26 takes us back to creation. 44:28 And how, you know, the Jews always did everything, 44:31 you know, according to creation and how the moon and the sun 44:34 and everything was designed and so it not only 44:38 and, you know, remembering creation 44:39 in that aspect 44:41 but just remembering what God did for us. 44:44 You know, I have to admit 44:45 that I haven't always come 44:50 into the Sabbath the way 44:52 that God wants us to because sometimes, 44:54 you know, we're doing things at the last minute 44:56 and it's like 44:57 it's not the way God intended for it to happen. 45:00 But, you know, that's the... 45:02 I think we could easily fall into that as humans is, 45:05 you know, kind of like I got this 45:06 and this and this to do and I'm trying to get ready. 45:09 And, you know, I was raised in an Adventist home 45:11 but then fell away, 45:14 you know, due to some things that happen in our family. 45:16 But we had been out of church for a long time 45:19 and then we started keeping the Sabbath again, 45:21 it was really awkward for me and I'm like, I don't remember 45:23 what we do and this and that 45:25 and but through God working in both of our lives 45:29 and, you know, just reading and stuff, 45:30 we found a better way to do it. 45:34 And so now it's more of a blessing 45:37 than just trying to, 45:38 you know, scramble and get things done, 45:39 of course that happens every now and then. 45:41 It's just human, you know. 45:43 But and there have been times when, you know, that group 45:47 wants to go, eat out, 45:48 you know, Saturday night, and it's like, 45:49 well, no, we go away for the Sabbath, 45:51 and that's not the wrong attitude. 45:52 You know, and I have found myself there, 45:54 I have found myself there before but that's not 45:57 what God wants that to be for us, 45:59 He wants us to have that blessing and spend 46:01 that time with Him and that's, 46:02 you know, just like one little section 46:04 of our week. 46:05 And it's a sanctuarian time, 46:07 but sometimes we can make it more of like, 46:09 well, but I want to do this and I want to do that, 46:13 but God wants so much more for us. 46:15 I was going to mention too just what you're talking about, 46:17 I was never raised Adventist, 46:19 so I don't know what keeping the Sabbath mainly. 46:21 What's that day? Saturday? 46:23 But it's a learning process, 46:25 it really is and I'm thankful that Lord is patient, 46:27 I mean I was 40 years just now learning, 46:30 you know, still learning what the Sabbath is, 46:31 I'm only, what, nine years 46:32 into being a Seventh-day Adventist, 46:34 I'm still learning what the Sabbath is 46:36 and I'm really enjoying it. 46:37 When we first came to Lord, 46:38 we actually didn't want to go to church, 46:40 we want to stay home 46:41 as well, we can fellowship at home, no big deal, 46:43 you know, no one's going to miss us 46:44 and then the Lord has really pick my heart says, 46:46 you need to fellowship, and you get with people, 46:48 you need to be, you know, encourage people, 46:51 you need to be encouraged 46:52 and come together, come together. 46:54 Sabbath is a family. It's family time. 46:56 It's family with God's people. 46:58 And it's been such a blessing to learn and like you said, 47:01 we do ever our stumbling moments 47:02 but God is there to pick up the pieces 47:04 and He's patient with us, you know. 47:05 He might be in the same position 47:07 we were in, and He's patient. 47:09 See, I think when we take... 47:11 We need to know what the Sabbath is all about, 47:13 what the commandment says, 47:15 we need to educate ourselves on all the details... 47:17 Why we do, what we do. What we do. 47:19 However, and until you 47:22 'cause I wasn't raised Adventist either, 47:23 I didn't know the Sabbath, What do you do? 47:26 Yeah. 47:27 You have to learn what the Sabbath is 47:28 and its purpose 47:30 and all of those things logically, intellectually... 47:32 Intellectually. 47:34 But you have to move the Sabbath to a relationship 47:37 before you understand what you can and can't do. 47:42 It's not a list of laws and rules. 47:46 It does have its parameters that shows us 47:49 what it's about and why it's about, 47:50 but then its relationship. 47:52 And our preparation on Friday, to me, 47:56 our preparation shows 47:59 or the lack of preparation shows our priority. 48:03 That's right. 48:04 So our priority is our relationship 48:06 with the Lord. 48:08 You know, I'm thinking, again, we're talking with people 48:12 are what we're doing this program, 48:15 our hearts cry is 48:16 that we're helping people understand, 48:18 the importance, 48:19 the significance of keeping the Sabbath, 48:22 and the blessing that's on the Sabbath, 48:25 and then how to do it. 48:27 And so here's just something, 48:33 Donald, I feel we can do. 48:35 We can go before God and say, "God, in our honesty, 48:37 I have never kept the Sabbath, 48:39 didn't even know we were supposed to. 48:42 But, Lord, if you show me, 48:44 if You'll give me Your direction, 48:46 I feel like..." 48:47 And, you know, I'm convinced of this. 48:49 God will chase you down to bless you. 48:50 If you open yourself up to God inside, God, 48:53 you teach me, He is going to see 48:56 that you are given the proper instruction 48:59 and He will be the one that directs you. 49:01 God loves you. 49:03 Everything He does is for your good. 49:05 And, you know, there... 49:07 I wanted to touch on this one thing 49:09 and it's guarding the borders of the Sabbath. 49:12 Now there's this lady, her name is Laura Ford. 49:14 Yes. 49:16 Oh, she was my mom in the Lord for so long. 49:18 She's such a precious lady. 49:20 And she gave me this terminology, 49:23 guard the borders, 49:24 guard the borders of the Sabbath. 49:26 And I wanted if any of you would like to just address 49:29 what that means, Gary, in your understanding, 49:32 what does it mean to guard the borders of the Sabbath? 49:35 Oh, merely it comes to mind is a city that, 49:38 you know, back in the day where they had gates 49:40 and soldiers on the wall and things like that. 49:42 I think in our modern times guarding 49:45 the avenues or the borders of the Sabbath 49:48 is not allowing those things that will take us away 49:51 and take our attention from the relationship 49:54 God wants to have with us. 49:57 So you're saying that, 49:58 if that television except for 3ABN 50:02 could be a stumbling block to you on the Sabbath 50:06 that your favorite program comes 50:08 on right at sundown. 50:10 So what do you do? You turn your television off. 50:13 That's guarding the borders. 50:15 Jonathan, would you like to address that? 50:17 Yeah, for, you know, I was thinking, 50:20 you know, we talked about Friday 50:21 being the Preparation Day, 50:23 but as Gary mentioned in the Jewish 50:26 all week is Preparation Day. 50:28 Friday is just 50:30 for our very final last few things we need to. 50:33 Gary, if you waited till Friday to do preparation 50:36 with your whole family, 50:38 there's no way you could get it all done. 50:40 So we prepare during the week and then on Friday, 50:45 we do what we need to, of the last final things. 50:48 And I like to, you know, I know when sundown is 50:52 but instead of doing 50:53 what I want to do right up to, whoa, it's sundown time, 50:58 back it up another hour. 50:59 And to help come into the Sabbath, 51:02 and, for me, not always, 51:07 not being told what to do anymore. 51:11 Fellowship is very important. 51:12 You know, if we're alone left to our own devices, 51:16 you know, Satan hits us with everything. 51:18 So we have a group of us on Friday nights, 51:23 we meet together 51:25 and we seeing for hour an hour and a half, 51:28 usually right up starting before sundown, 51:32 right up through sundown singing praises and hymns 51:35 and sharing testimonies and stories. 51:38 And so it's not just me trying to figure out 51:41 how to bring in the Sabbath. 51:42 I'm bringing it in with a group of other people, 51:46 other people that are single, married couples, 51:48 just a group of people and that is such a blessing. 51:52 Thank you, Jonathan, 51:54 you know that is such a beautiful concept 51:55 and something that you've said, Dee, 51:57 it's not as much fun to welcome in the Sabbath by yourself. 52:01 It is important that we do things together 52:05 in that family environment, in that family setting. 52:08 And so what a beautiful concept, 52:11 find friends of like faith and join together. 52:16 It'll encourage you and it'll encourage them. 52:19 Yes. 52:20 I'm very grateful that Jonathan does this 52:22 'cause quite often we do it down 52:23 by the pavilion with the fire and Jason makes the fire. 52:27 I try to protect the borders 52:29 by not necessarily knowing what time Sabbath starts. 52:33 Sometimes it's... 52:34 We go look and say, 52:35 well, Sabbath is it 6:38 or whatever, 52:39 I try to just do my day, 52:41 so okay, well, by 6 o'clock I want to be done 52:43 with what I'm going to do. 52:45 And I use my eyes... 52:46 The Israelites didn't have clocks. 52:48 When did the sun go down? 52:50 When is... 52:51 I just look and see when Sabbath starts. 52:54 And then at the end of the Sabbath 52:56 if you have plan on Saturday night, 52:58 whatever it's like, 53:00 well, we'll go when Sabbath is over. 53:02 We don't set an exact time. 53:04 So guarding the borders 53:05 is not being legalistic by what, 53:08 by the clock, it's by our eyes and our hearts when sundown is. 53:12 You know, I appreciate the point. 53:14 I feel like Dee has made repeatedly. 53:16 It's an issue of the heart. 53:18 It's an outcropping of your love for God 53:21 and what your priority 53:25 that you've established in your life. 53:28 And we're rapidly running out of time 53:31 and I feel like 53:32 each one of you may have something 53:34 that you would like to share just in closing thoughts. 53:37 Gary, do you have any closing thoughts. 53:39 Yeah, I was just thinking about what Dee was saying, 53:41 and when my wife and I were dating, 53:46 I couldn't and I didn't say, 53:48 oh, well, you know, the date's going to be 53:51 over in 30 minutes, you know. 53:53 And so and then go our separate ways. 53:56 I wanted to spend time in her presence, 53:58 I wanted to talk and communicate with her. 54:01 And so the Sabbath is like that. 54:03 If it's truly the relationship we've been describing here, 54:06 you're not going to be looking at your watch going, 54:08 okay, God, you got 30 more minutes, you know. 54:10 And then I'm on my own doing my own thing. 54:13 So, you know, that's I felt like guarding the border 54:15 of the Sabbath is just what you described, 54:18 don't pay attention to the time. 54:20 Don't leave the letter of the law. 54:21 Exactly. 54:22 Be the spirit of the whole issue. 54:24 And, you know, I'm thinking too that how important it is to God 54:29 that we do spend time with Him 54:31 and not be in a hurry to get away 54:33 to get out of His presence. 54:35 Janelle, do you have a closing thought? 54:37 You know, I'm thinking of others 54:40 that may need to come into a closer relationship 54:43 with the Lord and they just don't know how, Janelle? 54:45 Yes, I was thinking earlier of maybe a single mom 54:48 that has just heard of the Sabbath, 54:50 that maybe she works 8:00 to 5:00 Monday through Friday 54:54 and it's hard for her to have that preparation time. 54:57 We have the luxury here working at 3ABN, 55:00 we have Fridays off but not everyone has that. 55:02 And so maybe that single mother can pray 55:06 and ask God how He would have her 55:09 to order that Friday. 55:11 May be her manager could let her off earlier. 55:13 In some cases a pastor can write a letter 55:16 to the manager for that. 55:18 And so maybe that's a way that that could happen 55:21 so that you could have that extra time on Fridays. 55:23 Yes. 55:25 And something that we got 55:26 to convinced everyone around here 55:27 is if you pray and you ask God to undertake on your behalf, 55:31 He will be so happy too. 55:33 Anyone else have closing thoughts? 55:35 To me that's important is, 55:38 if we feel like we're having a hard time 55:41 keeping the Sabbath, that's not our issue, 55:45 that's God's issue 55:46 and all we need to do is let him know that, 55:49 hey, we're struggling, we need your help 55:51 and he'll make all things right. 55:53 And I too I want to mention also 55:55 that I may have grown up Adventist 55:58 but that doesn't mean 55:59 I don't still struggle with the Sabbath. 56:01 You know, every, like Donald said, 56:02 every week I'm learning and struggling, 56:05 how can I keep the Lord's Sabbath this time? 56:08 What does it mean to spend the time with Him, 56:12 so we're always learning. 56:14 How you grow into making the Sabbath, 56:16 a delight. 56:17 Yes. 56:18 I like the scripture, I'm just gonna read real quick. 56:20 "The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him," 56:23 that is god, "and delivers them." 56:25 I think about the Sabbath how it can deliver us 56:26 from this world. 56:28 It's kind of like you're spending actual time 56:29 with entire universe and being in that presence. 56:32 And once you, I mean think about you've got angels 56:34 and you got would set us 56:35 from all these different things, 56:36 and once you wanted to spend the time, 56:38 even angels fall prostrate before the Lord. 56:39 So I think we should so. 56:42 Well, we have found tonight that there is the commandment 56:46 that commands us to remember the Sabbath to keep it holy. 56:51 We have found in Isaiah 56:54 that a tremendous blessing comes 56:56 with keeping the Sabbath. 56:58 He will... 57:00 That the feed with the heritage of Jacob, 57:03 the father. 57:04 You will ride on the high places 57:06 of the earth and that's just being obedient to God. 57:10 And, you know, our heart's cry 57:12 is that each one of us have learned something tonight. 57:15 I've learned from each one of you. 57:17 And that this word is taking root 57:19 in our heart and it's growing and it's producing bountifully 57:23 for the Kingdom of God. 57:24 And each one of here want to wish 57:27 each one of you a very happy Sabbath. |
Revised 2018-07-16