Observe The Sabbath IV: No One Is To Work, Deuteronomy 5:14b

Observe The Sabbath IV: No One Is To Work

Deuteronomy 5:14b On it you shall not do any work, neither you nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your ox, your donkey, nor any of your animals, nor the aliens within your gates, so that you manservants and maidservants may rest, as you do.

This is straight forward: Do not do any work on the Sabbath, Not you, not your children, and not those who work for you. God even went as far as to say that those living among you must not work. That is pretty comprehensive: no one is to be working even if they aren't Israelites and not even your animals.

But what is considered work? Jesus helped to clarify that for some who were polluting God's Law. He basically said, look, David did what was unlawful when it was a necessity, and my disciples did as well. He also said, if someone else is in great need, it is proper to help them.

K and A, I believe my generation has polluted many things in the Scriptures, and I believe your generation has embraced what we have taught. K you have not had tight upbringing on this subject... I ask you to reconsider and read what the Bible has to say on the subject, not what you see good people do. What I am teaching you is not some new and strange teaching. It wasn't until the 70's that stores began to be open on Sunday. It was then that church people started to go out to eat and soon after go to the stores themselves. Did you know there are states that restrict Sunday sales on some items, like cars, yet today!

You say, but that was nearly 50 years ago... so its been nearly 2000 years since Christ spoke on the subject, and we are just now figuring out what he meant by it... are we that narcissistic to think we are now somehow more enlightened?! 

Daughters, stick to this... God said, do not do any work or have others do it for you. Jesus clarified God's command and said of course you should help those in need, including yourself. I say, follow their decrees and consider doing nothing that can be done another day. Pulling weeds, mowing lawn, changing oil, washing the car, going out to eat - making others work, etc... I even caution you on travelling on Sundays and  going to sporting events. We do a lot of things and then call them good so we can say, Jesus said we can do good on the Sabbath! Don't make excuses to see what you can get away with. Live in a way that seek to satisfy God and his Word.

~Dad

Note: 2 examples of  a warped church

We had a pastor who preached you can do anything on Sunday that you do any other day! Now one of our attendees often doesn't come in the summer, because he has to bale hay... he never did before that sermon. I know that first hand. It is sad.

The same pastor skipped church to attend a college football game for his nephew... family time is necessary he said.

These are not just examples of breaking the Sabbath, but they show how the church is affected by those in leadership and are given a reasons to make excuses for themselves of why not to keep the Sabbath.

Observe The Sabbath III: To The Lord, Deuteronomy 5:14

Observe The Sabbath III, To The Lord

Deuteronomy 5:14a but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God.

We need to remember that the Sabbath - the day of rest, is not just for our benefit. It says here that the it is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. I do not remember hearing it posed that way before. Normally, I hear it, wait let me correct that, I never hear it taught any more, rather I have heard it preached in the past... onward, I have heard it taught in the past in light of how beneficial it is for us to observe the Sabbath. It gives us a day to recuperate for the week's work, it is good for our bodies and minds. It is good for us spiritually, a time for people to worship together. It builds families and friends. We can visit and spend time with each other. There are numerous benefits for us, But how does it benefit God? How does our observance of the Sabbath bring God honor?

Keep in mind that these posts that I write are not comprehensive... they are ideas and thoughts on the scripture we are covering interpreted from what I have learned over the years, my best thought at the time I write them...

We honor God through obedience to him. Observing the Sabbath is one way we do that. It is a way that we show we truly love him. At creation, God established the Sabbath. On that day he ceased from his work. When the people of Israel received the manna from heaven, God did not send them any on the Sabbath. They were to gather extra the sixth day, so they had enough for the Sabbath day. Bake and prepare what you want they day before for tomorrow is a day of rest.

K and A, you bring honor to the Lord when you observe the Sabbath. You show your respect for him when you respect the day he sanctified and made holy... it is a day for him. Yes, it benefits you, but following the Sabbath honors him! Show your love by keeping the day holy.

~Dad

Observe The Sabbath II: Work Is Good, Deuteronomy 5:13

Observe The Sabbath II: Work Is Good

Deuteronomy 5:13 Six days shall you labor and do all you work

Saturdays, the first full day of the weekend, time to get out the boat and head to the lake, time to sit by the pool and relax, time to kick back. No, the Bible says that six days shall you work! I heard that in a sermon over 20 years ago and it still rings in my ear. Looking back, I am sure that was not the point of the sermon, but I took it to heart. Now, God doesn't expect us to work all the time. First of all there is the Sabbath, but more than that, we see in the life of the OT Hebrew, God created all kinds of holidays and sabbaths where they rejoiced, relaxed, and ate together. Yet, when God set down the laws of the Israel, he reiterated a work standard that he began at creation.

K and A, God is constantly at work in you life, and you are created in his image. God values work, for work is a good thing. It has many beneficial elements in relation to health. This is true physically, emotionally, and even spiritually. God desires to complete his work in you. Completing a task produces great satisfaction and self-worth. When God was finished creating, the Bible says that he saw all he had made and it was very good. A job, well done, does the same for us. Daughters, keep busy, be that Proverbs 31 woman. In doing so, you will avoid many of the pit falls and evils in life. Work is good for you!

~Dad

Observe The Sabbath, Deuteronomy 5:12

Ibserve The Sabbath

Deuteronomy 5:12 Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the Lord your God has commanded you.

This a commandment with which most do not agree, nor do they follow. I think most American Christians only believe in nine commandments, but to them the fourth one is not applicable for today. Some believe Jesus did away with it in the NT. Others believe everyday is to be holy unto the Lord, so the Sabbath is like another day. There is thought that you can make any day a Sabbath, not just a specific day that everyone follows. It is rare to find someone who lives it out.

To keep something holy, is to keep it separated from the sinful ways of the world and dedicated to God. That concept is good for every day but the Sabbath day is not just to be holy, it is to be a sabbath. A sabbath is a resting time, a time of no work, a period of time in which we cut out our efforts to advance our plans and agendas and only do things that have to be done. I believe Jesus clarified that with the Pharisees.

K and A, the sabbath principle was established at creation. The Lord reiterated it with the people of Israel on Mount Sinai. Jesus helped clarify some points with the Pharisees. Jesus said he is Lord of the Sabbath, but I believe many are acting today as if they are. I doubt that I have it all understood exactly as God designed it. I know it is hard to keep this commandment when the church chooses to ignore it. I challenge you to read Genesis and NT passages, and then choose to honor the day as God designed it; a day of no work. I believe it will deepen your walk with him!

~Dad

God's Name Holy, Detueronomy 5:11

God's name Holy

Deuteronomy 5:11 You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.

Weak... many modern translations do a poor job in translation of the use of God's name. The Hebrew for the word the NIV translates into misuse actually translates to the word vain. It is unclear what it means to misuse God's name. It is much more clear to understand what it means to take the Lord's name in vain. Synonyms for vain include, worthless, useless, pointless, without purpose, and, of course, inefficacious! Basically, it is to use God's name as a by-word, an add on, or to make you sound more believable. (Another definition for vain is about one's self - narcissistic, self absorbed. I couldn't see how that fit until now.)  To use the word vain helps us understand what it means to misuse God's name.

K and A, sadly, it is way to common to hear someone swear using the name of God. Especially... I can't write it. You know what it is. That became popular by the original Magnum PI TV program and it has taken on life in abbreviated form in social media. Growing up, people would use substitutes for the word God or Jesus. Today, people say it without qualm. Only Christians use the substitutes.

Daughters, please be careful not to get caught in the trap of using substitutes words. I have seen good people write out the abbreviation on Facebook. I'll name a few word for this post that I feel uncomfortable even thinking long enough saying and writing them... OM gosh, I've seen people write. We all know what they mean. Jesus said let your yes be yes... you do not have to add to your words to make it believable. Some say they don't mean anything by it. It's just an expression, an interjection to give emphasis. Isn't that the whole point of the commandment!

God's name is Holy! We are not to use it flippantly. It is not to be used to boost our points, not to be given as a promise to swear by. He is not an expression. His name is to be as Holy as the One it represents.

Isn't it then just as wrong to use words a substitute for him and his name? Take Geez - here is what the top definition is on urbandictionary.com - Short for Jesus. Used by Christians who don't want to "use the Lord's name in vain" Check out the word Sheesh on that site too. The world knows what they mean when good people say it. Why don't Christians understand what they are saying... Should we really have a substitute for God or his name - NO!

Remember what God says - he will not hold anyone guiltless... I do not understand fully what that means, but it sure doesn't sound good! K, I understand that you haven't grown up with this teaching, and it can be hard to accept when you know so many good people who use substitute words for God. Please consider this exhortation, and treat God and his name with respect and holiness.

~Dad

Understand that although the Bible talks about  harsh words - swearing. We must understand that taking the Lord's name in vain is much worse than any 4 letter swear word we can utter!

No Idols IV: Today's Idols, Deuteronomy 5:9a

No Idol IV: Today's Idols

Deuteronomy 5:9a You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God am a jealous God,

 In thinking of this topic, we need to consider what an idol is. Specific to this commandment, it is a graven image, something made in the image of God's creation to which we bow down and worship instead of its Creator. I do not think it is wrong to expand on this concept to mean anything we place in importance or give credit to for our needs or even desires. All belongs to God and whether we have created or developed it physically or mentally, it can fall into the realm of worshipping something other than God.

So let's name some areas in life where they exist and also name some specific ones. If you think of anything else or disagree, you can make comment;

People: Spouses, Boss, TV/Movie Stars, Music groups, Sports Players, Business People, Preacher, Teachers, Self

Events: Holidays, Anniversaries, Race Day, Football, Sports, Hunting, Get-togethers Revival/Camp Meetings Church

Animals: Pets, Farm Animals, Show Animals

Things: Cars, Houses, Tools, Kitchen, Man Cave, Cabin, Camper, Guns, Clothing, Jewelry, Phone,

Other: Money Success, Education, Aptitude, Training, Abilities, Career, Physical Build, Good Looks, Sex, Drugs, Alcohol, Food, Safety

It appears that anything can become a god, if we choose to worship it other than the true God, the I Am. There is a website that is devoted to teen idols called teenidols4you.com. The most common adult idols are pornographic or sexual related, of course that could be said about the teen one in a lighter way - sexual in nature that is. There are adults idols whose names I never heard of - of the top 25 listed when I "binged" common idols of today, I heard of name 24 - Emma Watson. Not sure who she is, but I heard of her.

K and A, What idols have a tendency to creep into your life? What takes your time, what encompasses your thinking, what do you spend your free time doing, where does your money go, what do you rely on to make life worthwhile.

• TV & Movies steal time away from God, Bible reading and meditation
• Clothing/Jewelry/Makeup can rob you of true worth... your hair really isn't that important, your clothes don't have to be the latest style.
• A spouse is a partner you lift and encourage to help them succeed in serving God. God is your protector, supplier, emotional stability
• Music is crucial in worshipping God, but elevating a group or style steals from his glory
• Technology steals money and gives direct access into wickedness - twill be the death of the Amish if they aren't careful

Daughters, you know what I think of pride. It steals the glory from the Lord. It is directly related to idol worship. Idol worship is anything that we look to which brings hope in life, which give a sense of security, and an ere of satisfaction and contentment. These attributes are not to be stolen from God. He is the one who supplies what we need. Give him the credit, the glory, for what you have and look to him for what you need. He hold the keys to it all, for he owns it all! 

~Dad

No Idols III: God's Love, Deuteronomy 5:10

No Idols III: God's Love

Deuteronomy 5:10 but showing love to a thousands generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.

What is the opposite of punishment... LOVE. Now we know that God is love and that he loved us and gave his son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Therefor we know that he loved us before we loved him, for we could not truly love him before he took away our sin.

Wait, doesn't this verse say that if we do not love him he will not show us love? Sounds like we are in a catch 22. It looks as if it says that he won't show love to us unless we love him, but then we can't love him unless we have been saved, but that can't happen if he hasn't shown him love to us but he won't show love to us unless we love him... that make my head spin!

Daughters, God loves you and desires you. Long before you understood anything spiritual or felt the tug of the Spirit on your heart, God reached out to you. Yet you must realize now that you are a follower of Jesus, you must be obedient to him and to his Father, or he will punish you. First that is in the form of discipline, but if you refuse to acknowledge him and worship other gods, you will bear his eternal punishment! John 14:21 says that those who obey Christ's commands are the one who truly love him. Those are the ones the Father loves and Christ does as well!

K and A, The Lord loves everyone, yet wide is the road to destruction... sadly many follow it. Narrow is the way to eternal life, few find it. You have found it! Walk in it daily by following the Lord's commands and you will sense the love of the Lord in your life and later in those whom you bear.

~Dad