The Rest Principle

In the Bible, very early on in the book of Genesis we are called to take a day of rest.  God called it the 7th day a Sabbath and we as people are to rest.  So fast forward a few thousand years and you would meet Jesus, God in the flesh.  The Jewish people of the time had taken God's Sabbath and made it into something it was not meant to be, they had made it into an "idol".  Jesus when confronted about His actions on the Sabbath responded that mankind was not created for the Sabbath day, but rather the Sabbath day was created for mankind.  Jesus was not saying that the Sabbath was invalid but that it needs to kept in the right place and not placed above its purpose.

So fast forward another couple thousand years and today we have a variety of views.  Some believe we need to legalistically keep the Sabbath on Saturday, some on Sunday, and still others that we need not bother with any Sabbath.  I believe that Jesus completely fulfilled the law requirement for Christians and as such we are not bound to keep a specific Sabbath day.  However we are those who live under the Lordship of Jesus are called to follow Him and His Word.  So I have become convicted that we are to seek to live in the "principle" of Sabbath as Christians.  We are supposed to set aside a regular day of rest, to show that we do not rely on our own work, but on God.  It is also a lot healthier to take a regular day of rest.  

So is it Sunday?  Saturday?  Well I think the specific day is not so important.  There has been a lot of confusion over the day of corporate worship and the Sabbath.  In our day it is almost foolish to really believe Sunday is a day of rest for most Christians.  At least Pastors, Church workers and key volunteers, they all do not get a day of rest on Sunday.  And most of the rest of western Christianity does not really rest on Sunday either.  So I suggest that everyone pick a day of rest and a day of worship.  So I have corporate worship with my Church family on Sunday but my day of Sabbath is Monday.  What about you?  

Preacherman

A Prayer for today

Heavenly Father,
Thank you for your great patience with me
Thank you for the Grace that you extend to me through the work of Jesus
Thank you for providing forgiveness of my sins and victory over them through the power of the Holy Spirit
Thank you for the opportunities You are giving me to serve You today
Lord I ask that you will shape me and direct me so that I will be the man you created me to be
Please lord use me in the work of Your Kingdom
May my desires be Your desires
Help me to walk in humility as an example of your work in process here on earth
Give me the words and ability to accurately share the Truth of the Gospel to all who will hear them
Above all my prayer is that my life this day will bring honor and glory to You my God
I ask these Lord in the name of Jesus
Amen

Colossians 1:3-8 Prayer & Thanksgiving

3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you,4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints,5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel,6 which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and growing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth,7 just as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf8 and has made known to us your love in the Spirit. - Col 1:3-8 (ESV)

Today my hope is that we would be reminded to pray with thanksgiving.  Not a mere thanking God for the things we have or the sustenance we have received, but being thankful for the Gospel.  The work of the Gospel, the power of the Gospel, the results of the Gospel, we should give thanks for what God is doing with His children.  Give thanks for your brothers and sister and How God has saved them, how He has helped them, how He has grown them and how He is using them.  

Sure be thankful to the Lord for all things, but lets remember the elements that Paul mentions here.  Give thanks for the ones whom the Lord is using to help you grow and mature in your faith.  We have so much to be thankful for, but lets not allow ourselves to fall into a distraction of thankfulness for every "thing" and neglect being thankful for every spiritual blessing we see and receive.

Let's continue every day in an attitude of thanksgiving ... AMEN!

Preacherman