The Right Way To Obey God. Part [33] 01/23/2025 (Morning thought)

Numbers 15:32 And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath day. 33 And they that found him gathering sticks brought him unto Moses and Aaron, and unto all the congregation. 35 And the Lord said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp.

Then again, you have the issue of relatives and family members who remain at home, while the heads of the family are at church. Any and every thing could be taking place under your roof, while you are at church singing hymns. There is great need of reform in these areas. Heads of households are responsible for whatsoever takes place in their homes over the sacred hours of the Sabbath. Therefore, if relatives are at home watching football, while the home owners are at church, and the homeowners are aware of these violations, they become partakers with their relatives in Sabbath breaking.

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 307] Those who discuss business matters, or lay plans on the Sabbath are regarded by God as though engaged in the actual transaction of business. To keep the Sabbath holy, we should not even allow our minds to dwell upon things of a worldly character. And the commandment includes all within our gates. The inmates of the house are to lay aside their worldly business during the sacred hours. All should unite to honor God by willing service upon His holy day.

In closing, we are reminded that there is a right way to obey God in everything. Love is to be the motivating factor at all times, based upon an increasingly, intelligent understanding of His goodness and mercy towards us. And to those persons who had not known, and had not understood that the commandments were given for our best good, now is the time, when God is calling on you to stand up and be counted, for it is those who obey God in spirit and in truth who will eventually be saved in His kingdom. We therefore end with a passage of scripture that should encourage us to obey God the right way, for doing so with joy is the very essence of one’s relationship with Him, and would greatly enhance our understanding and appreciation of His character.

John 4: 23 But the hour comes and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeks such to worship him. 24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

May The Lord add His blessing to the study of His word. God bless!

The Right Way To Obey God. Part [32] 01/23/2025 (Evening thought)

Exodus 20: 11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea and all that in them is, and rested on the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

Isaiah 58: 13 If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honorable; and shalt honor him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words; 14 Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.

However, there is a correct way to obey God in the keeping of the Sabbath, for it has to be kept, both in the letter and the spirit. In the letter is a reference to the Biblically stipulated time of sunset to sunset. In the spirit refers to having one’s mind unhinged from secular interests, and focused on God and the interests of His kingdom. Here is where great reform has to take place in many of the rank and file and also in the regular lay-persons of the remnant people of God, for there has been a great departure in keeping the 7th day holy, the entire day.

Not only have the edges of the Sabbath been profaned, but secular thoughts, conversations and work planning have been allowed to take place over the sacred hours. In fact, in some cases, persons now keep the Sabbath like how Sunday is kept, in a subjective manner. Again, if we find ourselves in a hurry to close off the sabbath, if we are found counting down the minutes and hours to its close, because of some pressing temporal concern, we are not keeping the day as God originally intended.

 Leviticus 23: 31 Ye shall do no manner of work: it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. 32 It shall be unto you a sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict your souls: in the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even, shall ye celebrate your sabbath.

May God add His blessing to the study of His word. “Good night” and God bless!