Podcasts about sabbaths

Wednesday, 30 July 2025   Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” Matthew 12:12   “Therefore, how much man – he excels a sheep! So too, it permits – the Sabbaths – to do good” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus asked the Pharisees what a man would do if he had one sheep that fell into a pit on a Sabbath. Wouldn't he lay hold of it and draw it out? The question demanded a positive answer. As such, He continues with, “Therefore, how much man – he excels a sheep!”   Certainly coming at this from both angles, Jesus notes the intrinsic value of a man over a sheep. The sheep could be rescued on a Sabbath, and so how much more should a man be rescued?   At the same time, a man would profane the Sabbath to rescue a sheep on the Sabbath, meaning he had the inherent right to do this good deed on the Sabbath by rescuing it, but the man with the withered hand was denied this ability to rescue his one lamb (supposing he had one that fell into a pit).   As this was a right man should be able to exercise, then it is fitting that he should be healed so that he, too, could follow through with such a necessity. Either way, the answer to healing on a Sabbath, according to Jesus' logic, is, “So too, it permits – the Sabbaths – to do good.”   Jesus calls this good. In other words, His example is clearly one of someone doing something that others could consider work. Going down into a pit and pulling out a lamb is a physically demanding proposition. Despite this, there is a benefit that results from it, for the lamb as well as for the owner of the lamb.   But this is only a proposition that may be played out in innumerable ways. The man has a withered hand, and he may need it for any imaginable thing that could arise on the Sabbath.   Likewise, he had a withered hand that needed rescue, simply out of human compassion. Therefore, the action of healing him, from both angles, serves a good purpose, despite the day of the week. As such, doing good on the Sabbath, including the healing of another, is an acceptable allowance for profaning the day.   Life application: In John 5, it says –   “For this reason the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill Him, because He had done these things on the Sabbath. 17 But Jesus answered them, ‘My Father has been working until now, and I have been working.'” John 5:16, 17   There is no potential in God. He doesn't change in any way. He is not bound by time or space. However, creation came from Him. When Jesus says that the Father has been working until now, it is because God is outside of time. In His creative effort, a creation which has existed and continues to exist, there must be something sustaining that creation.   This is God. It is explained in Colossians 1:17 where it says of the Son, “...in Him all things consist.” Again, in Hebrews 1:3, also referring to the Son, that He is “upholding all things by the word of His power.” These things can be said of the Son because He is a member of the Godhead. He is the One through whom these things come about.   For God to create, it signifies an eternal act. This doesn't mean creation is eternal, but because what God does is from the eternal realm, as long as the creation exists, it is only so because God continues to sustain it.   The Sabbath was given based on creation –   “For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.” Exodus 20:11   Later, it notes the Sabbath was given based on redemption –   “And remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out from there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm; therefore the Lord your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.” Deuteronomy 5:15   However, the Sabbath observance was mandated after both of these things. Thus, the Sabbath was given as a commemorative act. As the creation fell and had to be restored through the work of Jesus, and as the redemption of Israel from Egypt only anticipated the greater work of redemption of man through the work of Jesus, then the Sabbath was also anticipatory of these works of Christ. Thus, it both commemorated and anticipated.   In His coming, we now have the substance rather than the shadow. Jesus is the Creator and Sustainer, and He is our Sabbath rest. Let us remember this and find our peace with God through what Jesus has done.   Because Jesus is God, what He has done is eternal in nature. God the Father is working through Him to this day, forever sustaining us and leading us back to Himself. In time, everything anticipated in Scripture will come to its fulfillment. Until then, let us rest in the full, final, finished, and forever work of Jesus Christ our Lord.   Lord God, may we not fret about the future. The book is written, and for those who have come to You through Jesus, we have the certainty that everything will come out as it should. As this is so, may we find our rest in Jesus now, content that what is coming will come in its due time. Amen.  

Tuesday, 29 July 2025   Then He said to them, “What man is there among you who has one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out? Matthew 12:11   “And He said to them, ‘What man, he will be from you, who he will have one sheep, and if this, it should fall into a pit on the Sabbaths, not he will seize it and he will raise it?'” (CG).   In the previous verse, Matthew noted a man with a withered hand in the synagogue and that the Pharisees asked Jesus if it was lawful to heal on the Sabbath. He now records, “And He said to them, ‘What man, he will be from you, who he will have one sheep.'”   In the original, the word sheep is singular, followed by the definitive word “one.” The meaning is clear. The man possesses a single sheep, not a few or many. As such, it is more precious to him than if he had a whole flock where one could be overlooked. In such a case, it may be that this sheep was specifically kept for the Passover.   Because of the nature of the situation, the sheep would be carefully tended to. However, things happen, even to well-tended sheep. Therefore, Jesus continues, saying, “and if this, it should fall into a pit.”   The word empiptó, to fall in, is introduced. Thus, it signifies being entrapped or overwhelmed with. The idea is that the sheep has fallen into a bothunos, a hole. It is another new word, signifying a hole in the ground.   The word is connected to the verb bathunó, to be deep, and the adjective bathus, deep. As such, this isn't just a shallow hole, but a pit or cistern. It is a hole that has overwhelmed the sheep so that it cannot get out of it. With that understood, Jesus adds to the dilemma, saying it was “on the Sabbaths.”   The subject of the conversation is that of healing on the Sabbaths. There is a man right there among the Pharisees and Jesus who has a withered hand. Jesus is making a direct connection between the two.   It is true that the man has only one sheep, but the value of a sheep cannot be compared to a usable hand. And more, without a usable hand, the man probably could not lift the sheep out of the pit. Thus, there is a double dilemma, at least for him.   However, for anyone else, there is still the question concerning the sheep. What will the man do? Jesus says, “not he will seize it and he will raise it?”   The answer begs a positive response. Regardless of what is later recorded in the Talmud, and which very well may have been because of Jesus' words here concerning this matter, His very wording indicates that the answer would be positive. Yes, they would seize it and raise it.   As this is true, Jesus will make a point concerning the man that will fully answer their question.   Life application: The comparison of Jesus' words to Himself should not be overlooked. Jesus is called the Amnos tou Theou, the Lamb of God, in John 1:29. The word signifies a young sheep. Jesus was tried and crucified on a Friday, dying in the afternoon. The Bible specifically speaks of Him being interred quickly, before the Sabbath (such as in John 19:31).   Thus, He was essentially in a pit on the Sabbath. The common thinking at the time of Jesus was that someone with a sheep in a pit on the Sabbath would take hold of it and retrieve it, particularly if it was his one sheep. How much more if he needed it for the annual Passover!   This man, however, had a hand that would have precluded him from helping his sheep. Jesus, therefore, stands as a Substitute for man who cannot retrieve the sacrificial lamb. God the Father did not raise Jesus on the Sabbath. Instead, it says in Mark 16:9, “Now when He rose early on the first day of the week.”   All four gospels indicate this. The healing of the human condition, being lost in sin, was being dealt with by God through Jesus' interment over the Sabbath, He being our Passover Lamb. The irony of Jesus' words in Matthew concerning the raising of a lamb and its being connected to the healing of a man would be handled by God in the most magnificent way.   “For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. 10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11 And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.” Romans 5:6-11   Lord God, You gave Your only begotten Son for us. When we could not save ourselves, You sent Him to save us, not sparing Him who is of the greatest value of all. Thank You for Your goodness to us in the giving of Your Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Monday, 28 July 2025   And behold, there was a man who had a withered hand. And they asked Him, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”—that they might accuse Him. Matthew 12:10   “And, you behold! Man, he is, having a withered hand. And they queried Him, saying, ‘If it permits, the Sabbaths, to cure?' That they should accuse Him” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus was said to have gone into the synagogue where the Pharisees met. Now, while there, it says, “And, you behold! Man, he is, having a withered hand.”   Here is a new word, xéros. It is an adjective signifying arid. Thus, it can extend to earth, as opposed to water, dry land, a state of being withered, etc. In this case, the man's hand was withered from some malady like muscle atrophy, nerve damage, or various genetic conditions or diseases. With his hand in this withered state, Matthew notes, “And they queried Him.”   Another new word is introduced, eperótaó, to inquire, seek after in questions, demand, desire (to know), etc. They are looking for an opportunity to determine His doctrine, probably having heard about His healings elsewhere. Therefore, they propose to Him a question, “saying, ‘If it permits, the Sabbaths, to cure?'”   The question is a general one that was probably brought up from time to time. Someone might get hurt, have an affliction or a disease that is flaring up, catch a cold, etc. The natural question might be, “Can we go to the doctor today?” or “Can we ask the neighbor for a bottle of Robitussin?”   That may seem silly to us, but there was always the constant fear of doing something that might violate the law or even violate someone's interpretation of the law who had the authority to act against you. As in Islam today, one can see the “religious police” out looking for offenders of any supposed infraction.   Saying “Sabbaths” in the plural is a way of saying “on any Sabbath.” There were the weekly Sabbaths, but there were also other times when partial or total rest was expected of the people. They were to be aware of these things and act properly according to the set standards of law and culture. Understanding this, Matthew next notes, “That they should accuse Him.”   Another new word, katégoreó, is seen here. It signifies “to be a plaintiff.” As such, it would signify to charge some offense, accuse, object, etc. He had already silenced them on the matter of plucking grains and removing the kernel for eating.   This would have embarrassed them, and they are obviously looking for some other way to make an accusation against Him.   Life application: There are various groups of people who mandate Sabbath observance. This includes the Jews, Seventh Day Adventists, Hebrew Roots adherents, and others. Some base this on it being a point in the Law of Moses, and so it is a requirement for people today.   This is nonsense. The Law of Moses was only given to Israel. No other group of people was ever obligated to it. But even then, Jesus' ministry included His fulfilling the Law of Moses. It is now obsolete (say it with me ob-so-lete). It is no longer binding on anyone who comes to Christ. They have entered into the New Covenant.   One of the claims by some is that the seventh day Sabbath is an eternal requirement, mandated by God at the beginning, and must always be required.   This is nonsense as well. There is no such prescription found in Scripture. All it says is –   “Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished. 2 And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. 3 Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.” Genesis 2:1-3.   That is a statement of fact, but it prescribes nothing. If one reviews the wording of Exodus 16 as given in the Hebrew, it is apparent that before the law was given, the Sabbath was not observed. Only after the exodus from Egypt did it become a prescription for the people of Israel.   There is not a single word to indicate that anyone, from the time of Adam until after the exodus, ever observed a Sabbath. If it was something required for the people, that would be (and is) a glaring omission that should have been included for our understanding.   There is nothing to even suggest that the Sabbath applies to believers today. In fact, exactly the opposite is the case. The book of Hebrews speaks in detail about the Sabbath. It sums up the matter in Hebrews 4:3, saying, “For we who have believed do enter that rest.”   In other words, what the Sabbath day only anticipated is realized in Jesus Christ. When one believes in His completed work, he enters into what the Sabbath only pictured. This is made clear in Colossians 2:16, 17 –   “So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, 17 which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.”   All of these things, and so many more, were merely types and shadows of what Christ would come and do for us. Let us not get caught up in fanciful legalism that has no basis in reality. Rather, come to Christ, rest in Christ, and find your blessed state of contentment in Him alone.   “One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks.” Romans 14:5, 6   Lord God, how grateful we are to You that we don't have to worry about the religious police telling us our salvation is in question because we didn't do this or that. What we did, meaning trusting in Jesus' completed work, is sufficient to reconcile us to You, once and forever. Thank You for Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Friday, 25 July 2025   But if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the guiltless. Matthew 12:7   “And if you had known what it is, ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice,' not you condemned the guiltless” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus noted that a greater than the temple was there. Based on that, He next says to the Pharisees, “And if you had known what it is.”   The Pharisees had spoken a word of implied condemnation toward Jesus because His disciples were eating. They brought in the precept of Sabbath observance to support their view. Jesus returned words from the same law, showing that there was a valid precedent both for the allowance for food, even if it was otherwise inappropriate to procure, and the allowance for some to profane the Sabbath and not be held guiltless.   Having stated these things, He prepares to now demonstrate that not only had they missed these points in their interpretation of the situation, but that they had overlooked the basis for such allowances in relation to what His disciples were doing. He does this with the words, “I desire mercy and not sacrifice.”   Here, He cites Hosea 6:6, “For mercy I inclined, and not sacrifice” (CG). In using the word khaphets, to incline, it is as if the Lord leans in favor of something, as if He is inclining in that direction. As such, it signifies He desires that in favor of something else.   Therefore, the Lord looks more favorably upon mercy than mere rote sacrifice. Even if the law demanded a sacrifice to be made, the action spoke nothing concerning the state of the heart. A person could go to the temple, perform the mandatory sacrifice, and walk away completely uncaring about the sin which the sacrifice was intended to cover. It is exactly this attitude that brought the Lord to say to the people –   “Hear the word of the Lord, You rulers of Sodom; Give ear to the law of our God, You people of Gomorrah: 11 ‘To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to Me?' Says the Lord. ‘I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams And the fat of fed cattle. I do not delight in the blood of bulls, Or of lambs or goats. 12 “When you come to appear before Me, Who has required this from your hand, To trample My courts? 13 Bring no more futile sacrifices; Incense is an abomination to Me. The New Moons, the Sabbaths, and the calling of assemblies— I cannot endure iniquity and the sacred meeting. 14 Your New Moons and your appointed feasts My soul hates; They are a trouble to Me, I am weary of bearing them. 15 When you spread out your hands, I will hide My eyes from you; Even though you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood.”'” Isaiah 1:10-15   The people came to the Lord, doing the things required by the law, but they had no heart for the Lord or for doing what was morally right. It is this same attitude that these Pharisees were presenting toward Jesus and His disciples. Jesus, however, says that if they understood the words of the Lord through Hosea, then “not you condemned the guiltless.”   In verse 12:5, the word anaitios, guiltless, was introduced. This is now the second and last use of it in Scripture. It signifies one who is not causing guilt. The reason for this is that even if the law set forth a particular command, it had to be considered in the greater scope of the intent of the law.   In Isaiah, the people of Israel performed the things of the law in their sacrifices, offerings, and observances, but they failed to have a heart for what those things signified. Therefore, they were not at all in compliance with the law. Jesus and His disciples had needs. They met those needs in accordance with the implied allowances of the law. The Pharisees had not done so.   Life application: The problem with people who still demand law observance is the exact problem that Jesus addresses in this verse. They are sticklers about external conduct while not caring about the Lord who came and fulfilled the law for them. This is obviously so because they continue to demand that people do things that are no longer required.   In Israel, the people demanded that external observances be conducted, but they never took the time to consider why those things were to be conducted in the first place. With each passing funeral, they never stopped to consider the words of the law that say –   “You shall therefore keep My statutes and My judgments, which if a man does, he shall live by them: I am the Lord.” Leviticus 18:5   They might stand around the grave and say, “We will miss Schlimy. He was truly a righteous man.” But this would be untrue. If Schlimy were truly righteous before the law, he would not be plopped into the grave. He would still be alive. The people never considered why Schlimy was dead.   They saw him making sacrifices and doing all the supposedly pious things that the law demanded. And yet, here they were at his graveside complimenting him for his righteously lived life, which was insufficient to keep him from dying.   When Jesus came, He did fulfill the things of the law. He was crucified for the sins of others, and He rose again in a demonstration that He was, in fact, righteous before the law. And yet, the people of Israel collectively rejected this and continued down the same path they had followed since their first national transgression at the foot of Mount Sinai.   Every person, Jew or Gentile, who demands that precepts of the law be fulfilled by us today is following in that same unrighteous path. They are placing shadow over substance while rejecting the work of Jesus, which culminated in the resurrection, the very proof that He is righteous because He is God.   Pay heed. Don't be like Schlimy and others who trust in deeds of the law to make God happy. Instead, trust in the merits of Jesus Christ. Only what He has done can deliver you safely into the wonderful promise of total restoration with God. Through Jesus, we have peace with Him once again.   Lord God, thank You for Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have total restoration with You. Great are You, O God. Amen.

Wednesday, 23 July 2025   Or have you not read in the law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, and are blameless? Matthew 12:5   “Or not you read in the law that, the Sabbaths, the priests in the temple the Sabbath profane, and they are guiltless?” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus referred to the showbread being given to David though it was intended only for the priests. He now continues with the same general idea as He refutes the claims of the Pharisees, saying, “Or not you read.”   This contains a new word, anaginóskó, to read. It signifies “to know again.” In other words, when one reads, he is reminded of something that he may have forgotten. Thus, in reading, one refreshes his mind concerning what is written down.   In this case, it is something read, “in the law.” The Pharisees claimed Jesus did something unlawful in regard to eating on the Sabbath. He first addressed David's need to eat and how it had a priority that even transcended the intent of the law concerning the showbread.   He now returns to the law to specifically address the Pharisees' main issue with what the disciples (and thus by extension, He as well) were doing. In order to make His case complete, He continues, saying, “that, the Sabbaths.”   The plural is used to refer to the repetitive nature of the appointment, coming each week on the seventh day. On any and all Sabbaths, this point will hold true. His point is that “the priests in the temple the Sabbath profane.”   The profaning of the Sabbath by the priests is found on several occasions in the law. For example, sacrifices were to be presented every day of the week, one of several examples says –   “And on the Sabbath day two lambs in their first year, without blemish, and two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour as a grain offering, mixed with oil, with its drink offering— 10 this is the burnt offering for every Sabbath, besides the regular burnt offering with its drink offering.” Numbers 28:9, 10   The consecration of Aaron and his sons was held over at least one Sabbath as well –   “Thus you shall do to Aaron and his sons, according to all that I have commanded you. Seven days you shall consecrate them.” Exodus 29:35   Despite these things, Jesus says, “and they are guiltless?”   This is a second new word, anaitios. It is derived from the negative particle a (not) and aitios, an adjective signifying “causative.” As such, it signifies one who is not causing guilt. What can be inferred is that if a priest were not on duty, he would be required to observe the Sabbath, but if he was on duty, he would not be so required.   Further, if called to duty on the Sabbath, they would be held guiltless. This is seen in the record of the ill-fated end of the wicked queen Athaliah -   “‘This is what you shall do: One-third of you entering on the Sabbath, of the priests and the Levites, shall be keeping watch over the doors; 5 one-third shall be at the king's house; and one-third at the Gate of the Foundation. All the people shall be in the courts of the house of the Lord. 6 But let no one come into the house of the Lord except the priests and those of the Levites who serve. They may go in, for they are holy; but all the people shall keep the watch of the Lord. 7 And the Levites shall surround the king on all sides, every man with his weapons in his hand; and whoever comes into the house, let him be put to death. You are to be with the king when he comes in and when he goes out.' 8 So the Levites and all Judah did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded. And each man took his men who were to be on duty on the Sabbath, with those who were going off duty on the Sabbath; for Jehoiada the priest had not dismissed the divisions.” 2 Chronicles 23:4-8   The law says, “Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death” (Exodus 31:15). Despite this, profaning of the Sabbath by the priests in the course of their duties does not apply. As this is true, like the account with David and the bread, there is a greater standard that takes precedence over mandates of the law.   Life application: The word anaginóskó signifies “to know again.” Why do you suppose the Greek language uses such a word to describe the process of reading? The main reason is obvious. When we see, hear, or experience something, even when reading about it, we will eventually have the matter fade from our minds.   It may be that what we read will get confused with other things we have read, thus incorrect cross connections will result. Considering that the Bible is comprised of sixty-six books that are formed out of one thousand one hundred and eighty-nine chapters, it is a given that we will not be able to remember everything we have read.   But even if one is a savant who could somehow remember everything he read, there is no way he could make all of the necessary connections within the book that exist when attempting to understand how things fit together.   With our fading memories and with our inability to make all the connections we should on the first, fifth, tenth, or fiftieth time through, it becomes obvious why we need to constantly read the Bible. If we want to more fully understand what God is telling us and why, we must read and reread His word.   And because almost nobody is a savant who can remember everything he has ever read, it is a given that our memories will quickly fade concerning the content of the word. By the time we reach Revelation, we have jumbled up or forgotten the vast majority of what the previous sixty-five books have said.   If you want to have a right knowledge and clear remembrance of the word, you must continue to read it, all the days of your life. Please do this.   O God, help us to be responsible as we read Your word, reminding ourselves daily of what it records as we pick it up and read it. If we don't do this, the memory of its contents will fade, and our close connection to You will also begin to fade. May this never be so! May our hearts be constantly geared towards You as we enter into the pages of Your precious word. Amen.

Saturday, 19 July 2025   At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. And His disciples were hungry, and began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. Matthew 12:1   “In that time, Jesus, He went – the Sabbaths – through the grainfields, and His disciples, they hungered, and they began to pluck kernels and eat” (CG).   In the previous verse, Chapter 11 finished with Jesus' words concerning His yoke being handy and His burden being light. Chapter 12 now begins with, “In that time.”   It is a particular time, noted by the word kairos (a particular time or season) rather than chronos (time as it marches on). In other words, Matthew is highlighting the season in which they are walking. Of this phrase, Barnes notes –   “Luke 6:1 fixes the time more particularly. He says that it was ‘the second Sabbath after the first.' To understand this, it is proper to remark that the ‘Passover' was observed during the month ‘Abib,' or Nisan, answering to the latter part of March and the first of April. The feast was held seven days, commencing on the fourteenth day of the month Exodus 12:1-28; Exodus 23:15, on the "second" day of the paschal week. The law required that a sheaf of ‘barley' should be offered up as the first-fruits of the harvest, Leviticus 23:10-11. From this day was reckoned seven weeks to the feast of ‘Pentecost' Leviticus 23:15-16, called also the feast of weeks Deuteronomy 16:10, and the feast of the harvest, Exodus 23:16. This second day in the feast of the Passover, or of unleavened bread, was the beginning, therefore, from which they reckoned toward the Pentecost. The Sabbath in the week following would be the ‘second Sabbath' after this first one in the reckoning, and this was doubtless the time mentioned when Christ went through the fields.”   Understanding the time of year, Matthew next records, “Jesus, He went – the Sabbaths – through the grainfields.”   There are two new words. The first is sabbaton, the Sabbath. It is the seventh day of the week corresponding to the day of rest from the labors of creation noted in Genesis 2. It became a mandatory requirement for the Hebrew people, being first introduced as such in Exodus 16. It was to be a day of rest, including no secular work of any type.   The word is often in the plural, indicating the weekly nature of the appointment. This is like someone in English saying, “My Sundays are always set for church time.”   The second new word is sporimos, a word coming from sporos, scattering (and thus, sown). As such, it refers to a planted field. While on a Sabbath, Jesus is walking through the fields, which would have included both barley and wheat at this time of year. It was also ready for harvesting. However, He is not alone, as indicated by the words, “and His disciples.”   It is a group of Jesus and His disciples walking through the grainfields. As they did, it says that “they hungered.” This helps to explain the use of the word kairos rather than chronos. One can walk through the grainfields in September, and there won't be anything to harvest. However, at this time of year, there would be stalks all around coming to full maturity. As such, Matthew notes, “and they began to pluck kernels and eat.”   There is another new word here, tilló, to pluck or pick in order to pull off. The word will only be seen here, in Mark 2:23, and Luke 6:1. All three uses refer to the same incident. As for the words, they seem innocuous enough. Here is a group of people walking through the grainfield. As they walk, they are hungry. Because they are hungry, they take the time to pick some grains and eat them.   From our modern thinking, one might think, “What are they doing, they have no right to eat someone else's grain.” That would be incorrect. In the law, it says –   “When you come into your neighbor's vineyard, you may eat your fill of grapes at your pleasure, but you shall not put any in your container. 25 When you come into your neighbor's standing grain, you may pluck the heads with your hand, but you shall not use a sickle on your neighbor's standing grain.” Deuteronomy 23:24, 25   Thus, they are doing nothing wrong in eating in this regard as they go through the fields. Their actions are in accordance with the law concerning that particular aspect of the matter.   Life application: Jesus came to fulfill the law. The gospels are a record of His life and actions in relation to the law. This is one of the main purposes for which they are recorded, and it is the reason why there are three separate but similar gospels known as the synoptics.   They provide a witness and testimony to the conduct of the Messiah as He lived under the law. In Leviticus 18:5, it says –   “You shall therefore keep My statutes and My judgments, which if a man does, he shall live by them: I am the Lord.”   From the time of the giving of the law until the time of Jesus, the record of Israel, including every person of Israel, was a record of failure. The law promised life to the one who would do the things of the law. And yet, they all died, generation after generation. Elijah was taken directly to heaven for a particular purpose. If he had remained, he would have died too.   Jesus came. He was born under the law. The gospels record His life under the law, demonstrating that He was without sin. It is the reason why Jesus is alive to this day. He prevailed over the law, even in His death, because His death was in fulfillment of the law. Because of this, He rose again. It is the sure proof that He was without sin and that He is God because all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.   Only God incarnate was born and lived without sin. Therefore, when we see an account about Jesus' life, even if we think there is wrongdoing, such as His disciples picking and eating someone else's grain, we can be certain that what occurs is acceptable according to Scripture. Be sure to think about why the law records things as it does. In it, we will find Jesus' perfection highlighted for us.   Lord God, it is marvelous to think about what You have done, coming under the law that You gave to Israel, living it out perfectly in the Person of Jesus, and then granting us the life that You possess while redeeming us from sin and death. Thank You, O God, for Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.  

This episode of Gravitas WINS Conversations is a must-listen for senior technology leaders—especially CTOs—who want to scale not just systems, but themselves. In conversation with Joseph Jude, CTO coach and author Viktor Nyblom breaks down what separates elite performers from the rest. It's not knowledge or skill, it's clarity, energy, and transformation. This episode explores why even the best leaders need coaches, what human connection offers that AI can't, how to avoid burnout, and the importance of being both intense and kind. If you're leading teams, feeling stuck, or craving purposeful leadership, this is for you.

Today's episode will help us understand the importance of rest and Sabbath in disciple-making, as well as the impact of burnout and how to counteract it through sustainable rhythms of life. Join Discipleship.org at one of our fall events: https://discipleship.org/one-day-events/    The Deeper Walk Experience | Franklin, TN | Aug. 15-16, 2025: https://deeperwalk.com/sp/dw-experience-franklin/  Discipling Men | Dallas, TX | Sept. 11, 2025: https://discipleship.org/one-day-events/dallas-2025-regional/  The Discipleship Gospel | Oceanside, CA | Oct. 9, 2025: https://discipleship.org/one-day-events/2025-west-coast-conference/  Check out Discipleship.org for resources on disciple-making: https://discipleship.org/resources/    Stay Informed - Get our newsletter: http://eepurl.com/hPViAr   The Importance of Sabbath: Finding Rest in Disciple-Making In this episode of the Disciple Maker Podcast, hosts Josh Howard and Jason Ishmael dive into a vital but often overlooked aspect of disciple-making: the practice of Sabbath. They share personal stories and insights on how incorporating rest and healthy rhythms into daily life can prevent burnout and lead to more sustainable ministry work. Drawing from both personal experiences and biblical principles, the hosts emphasize how taking regular Sabbaths can help maintain spiritual and mental health, foster deeper relationships, and ultimately strengthen one's ministry. Tune in to discover how to balance work and rest effectively and why this balance is crucial for a thriving disciple-making journey.   Get Discipleship.org's premium Podcast Feed: https://disciplemakerspodcast.supercast.com/    Key Takeaways  00:00 Introduction and Podcast Beginnings 01:03 The Importance of Sabbath in Ministry 03:00 Personal Testimony: Burnout and Recovery 06:12 Implementing Sabbath Practices 09:23 Cultural Rhythms and Work Ethics 11:31 Balancing Work and Rest in Ministry 14:39 Reflecting on Life Choices 15:24 The Unforced Rhythms of Grace 16:04 The Importance of Rest in Discipleship 17:03 Balancing Work and Rest 19:00 Sabbath as Resistance 19:52 Real-Life Examples of Sabbath 23:25 The Modern Pace of Life 26:12 Encouragement for Restful Living   Check out our Blogs: https://discipleship.org/blog/    Join us for our 2026 National Disciple Making Forum: https://discipleship.org/2026-national-disciple-making-forum/  See Below for a longer description: In this episode of the Disciple Maker Podcast, Josh Howard and Jason Ishmael humorously start off by discussing the challenges of kicking off the podcast seamlessly. They segue into an important discussion on Sabbath and rest. Josh shares his personal experience with burnout from a grueling work schedule in India, emphasizing the importance of regular rest to avoid mental, physical, and spiritual exhaustion. They highlight that Sabbath isn't just an Old Testament concept but essential for sustainable ministry and overall well-being. The need for ministry leaders and everyone to balance work and rest is underscored, promoting a lifestyle that counters societal pressures of constant busyness and productivity. By setting boundaries and maintaining healthy rhythms of life, Josh and Jason advocate for a balanced approach to ministry and personal life. The episode calls listeners to evaluate their own rest practices and integrate meaningful Sabbath practices to prevent burnout and enhance fulfillment and effectiveness in both life and ministry.

By Matt King - In this final message of the four-part series on the Sabbath, we turn to an often-quoted New Testament passage—Colossians 2:13–19. Many interpret Paul's words about not letting others judge us regarding Sabbaths, festivals, food, or drink as a declaration that the law has been done away with. But is

Did you know that there are EXACTLY 70 WEEKS from the 7th day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread following the second Passover this year 2025 to Yom Kippur or Day of Atonement 2026? Additionally if you count the 7 Sabbaths of the Omer following the Feast of First Fruits for the Second Passover this year and then you count an additional 62 Sabbaths (as in Daniel 9:25 says 7 weeks or 7 sevens i.e. 7 sabbaths & 62 weeks, sevens or sabbaths that's 69 sabbaths from the feast of first fruits for the second Passover this year) you come to Yom Teruah or Feast of Trumpets 2026 which is ON THE 69TH Sabbath after the feast of First Fruits! All throughout scripture prophecy most times has a long plan and then a short plan. The long plan is always first and the fulfillment may be in the distant future, and you don't know the day or the hour that it will be fulfilled. Then the short plan is very often revealed, including the date of its coming fulfillment once you get really close to its time. So, there can be two timelines for one prophecy or set of prophecies, a long plan and a short plan, a far plan and a near plan. Consider Noah who began building his boat 120 years before the flood came. He knew it was going to come, he just didn't know when that was the long plan, but then the short plan was revealed to him seven days before the flood came. As the time of fulfillment neared, he was told exactly what day it would start to rain. Same thing with the exodus from Egypt. The long plan was revealed to Abraham, Isaac, and then Jacob. As they got closer to going to Egypt, the plans became more distinct. Abraham saw it afar off, and Jacob actually went to Egypt. But still, it was a long plan… the rest of 400 years before they would know exactly when the exodus was coming. Then, when Moses came back from the desert, he revealed the short plan and they knew exactly when they were going to leave, the night of Passover. Same thing with Daniel 9, all of Daniel's visions actually, but Daniel 9:24-27 is what we're specifically dealing with in part 1 of this message regarding verse 24's long plan of 3500 years and in part 2 verses 25's and 27's short plan of 70 actual weeks of days.

B.L. och Heidenhammer har bjudit in Jakob Ljungberg och Andreas Johansson för att besnacka Black Sabbaths femtonde giv "Tyr" från 1990. Förutom albumtillskottet Neil Murray så är lineupen relativt stadig för att vara Black Sabbath. Mer av samma eller ännu ett steg längre ifrån originalsoundet? Den som lyss får hör'! Trevlig helg! I samarbete med Medborgarskolan

Did you know there are more Sabbaths mentioned in the Bible than just the seventh day of the week? Did you know all Sabbaths are described as a “shadow of good things to come” (Hebrews 10:1). What are those “good things” that make up the superior “substance” (the most important, valuable, and enduring truths symbolically foreshadowed)? It's time to move up to the next level.Comparative religion website: www.thetruelight.net Ministry website: www.shreveministries.org The Catholic Project website: www.toCatholicswithlove.org Video channel: www.YouTube.com/mikeshreveministries All audio-podcasts are shared in a video format on our YouTube channel. Mike Shreve's other podcast Discover Your Spiritual Identity—a study on the biblical names given to God's people: https://www.charismapodcastnetwork.com/show/discoveryourspiritualidentity Mail: P.O. Box 4260, Cleveland, TN 37320 / Phone: 423-478-2843Purchase Mike Shreve's popular book comparing over 20 religions: In Search of the True LightPurchase Mike Shreve's new book comparing Catholicism to biblical Christianity: The Beliefs of the Catholic Church

Isaiah 1: 2-202 Hear me, you heavens! Listen, earth!    For the Lord has spoken:“I reared children and brought them up,    but they have rebelled against me.3 The ox knows its master,    the donkey its owner's manger,but Israel does not know,    my people do not understand.”4 Woe to the sinful nation,    a people whose guilt is great,a brood of evildoers,    children given to corruption!They have forsaken the Lord;    they have spurned the Holy One of Israel    and turned their backs on him.5 Why should you be beaten anymore?    Why do you persist in rebellion?Your whole head is injured,    your whole heart afflicted.6 From the sole of your foot to the top of your head    there is no soundness—only wounds and welts    and open sores,not cleansed or bandaged    or soothed with olive oil.7 Your country is desolate,    your cities burned with fire;your fields are being stripped by foreigners    right before you,    laid waste as when overthrown by strangers.8 Daughter Zion is left    like a shelter in a vineyard,like a hut in a cucumber field,    like a city under siege.9 Unless the Lord Almighty    had left us some survivors,we would have become like Sodom,    we would have been like Gomorrah.10 Hear the word of the Lord,    you rulers of Sodom;listen to the instruction of our God,    you people of Gomorrah!11 “The multitude of your sacrifices—    what are they to me?” says the Lord.“I have more than enough of burnt offerings,    of rams and the fat of fattened animals;I have no pleasure    in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats.12 When you come to appear before me,    who has asked this of you,    this trampling of my courts?13 Stop bringing meaningless offerings!    Your incense is detestable to me.New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations—    I cannot bear your worthless assemblies.14 Your New Moon feasts and your appointed festivals    I hate with all my being.They have become a burden to me;    I am weary of bearing them.15 When you spread out your hands in prayer,    I hide my eyes from you;even when you offer many prayers,    I am not listening.Your hands are full of blood!16 Wash and make yourselves clean.    Take your evil deeds out of my sight;    stop doing wrong.17 Learn to do right; seek justice.    Defend the oppressed.[a]Take up the cause of the fatherless;    plead the case of the widow.18 “Come now, let us settle the matter,”    says the Lord.“Though your sins are like scarlet,    they shall be as white as snow;though they are red as crimson,    they shall be like wool.19 If you are willing and obedient,    you will eat the good things of the land;20 but if you resist and rebel,    you will be devoured by the sword.”For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.IntroductionThe Judgement of GodHolinessWrathThe Mercy of GodPatienceRedemptionThe Reasoning of GodHis DesireHis WillHis GloryOur ResponseFearGratitudeObedience

06/22/2025 Paul Bang Nehemiah 10:28-39 The Obligations of the Covenant 28 “The rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, the temple servants, and all who have separated themselves from the peoples of the lands to the Law of God, their wives, their sons, their daughters, all who have knowledge and understanding, 29 join with their brothers, their nobles, and enter into a curse and an oath to walk in God's Law that was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the Lord our Lord and his rules and his statutes. 30 We will not give our daughters to the peoples of the land or take their daughters for our sons. 31 And if the peoples of the land bring in goods or any grain on the Sabbath day to sell, we will not buy from them on the Sabbath or on a holy day. And we will forego the crops of the seventh year and the exaction of every debt. 32 “We also take on ourselves the obligation to give yearly a third part of a shekel[a] for the service of the house of our God: 33 for the showbread, the regular grain offering, the regular burnt offering, the Sabbaths, the new moons, the appointed feasts, the holy things, and the sin offerings to make atonement for Israel, and for all the work of the house of our God. 34 We, the priests, the Levites, and the people, have likewise cast lots for the wood offering, to bring it into the house of our God, according to our fathers' houses, at times appointed, year by year, to burn on the altar of the Lord our God, as it is written in the Law. 35 We obligate ourselves to bring the firstfruits of our ground and the firstfruits of all fruit of every tree, year by year, to the house of the Lord; 36 also to bring to the house of our God, to the priests who minister in the house of our God, the firstborn of our sons and of our cattle, as it is written in the Law, and the firstborn of our herds and of our flocks; 37 and to bring the first of our dough, and our contributions, the fruit of every tree, the wine and the oil, to the priests, to the chambers of the house of our God; and to bring to the Levites the tithes from our ground, for it is the Levites who collect the tithes in all our towns where we labor. 38 And the priest, the son of Aaron, shall be with the Levites when the Levites receive the tithes. And the Levites shall bring up the tithe of the tithes to the house of our God, to the chambers of the storehouse. 39 For the people of Israel and the sons of Levi shall bring the contribution of grain, wine, and oil to the chambers, where the vessels of the sanctuary are, as well as the priests who minister, and the gatekeepers and the singers. We will not neglect the house of our God.”

Today's episode is all about simple ways to feel closer to God. Resources from this episode: 40 Days of Decrease by Alicia Britt Chole 25% Off Dwell Bible App Episode 173 - How We Sabbath  Episode 232 - A Year of Sabbaths with Will Ray : Part 1  Episode 233 - A Year of Sabbaths with Will Ray : Part 2  Send me an audio message!  Visit my Cornerstore!  The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence  Mildliner Highlighters  Nancy Ray Website Nancy Ray on Instagram Affiliate links have been used in this post! I do receive a commission when you choose to purchase through these links, and that helps me keep this podcast up and running—I truly appreciate when you choose to use them!  

Supporta BLMP genom att bli en patron! Spana in de olika alternativen på http://www.patreon.com/blmetalpodcast Eller supporta genom swish: 070-8961174 B.L. och Heidenhammer har bjudit in Tobias Christiansson för att besnacka Black Sabbaths fjortonde giv "Headless Cross" från 1989. Enter mästerlirar'n Cozy Powell bakom hinkarna och ett fortsatt "samarbete" med Tony Martin of Geoff Nicholls borgar för.. ja, något! För första gången på mycket lång tid så känns det i alla fall som ett riktigt band igen. Vad tycker panelen? Den som lyss får hör'! Trevlig helg! I samarbete med Medborgarskolan.

Over this short series we've been learning about the freedom and liberty we have in Christ regarding food, Sabbaths, festivals and other celebrations but sometimes our liberty and freedom can be concerning for others. Paul dealt with this issue with the Corinthian church and that's what we'll be learning about in this program. Your support sends the gospel to every corner of Australia through broadcast, online and print media: https://www.vision.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The church at Thessalonica started in Acts 17. Paul and Silas made their way there after getting run out of Philippi. Luke says Paul reasoned with the Jews at the synagogue for three Sabbaths while most historians say Paul stayed there for about three months. He was run out of Thessalonica as well and went to Berea. However, that three month period made a huge impact there! The men and women who chose to obey the gospel took it to heart and wanted others to know about Jesus too! They were known in the region around them as people who did faithful work, loving deeds, because they put their hope in Jesus. May that be said of us!

The five crowns (1)."They do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown." 1Co 9:25 NKJVIn describing our heavenly rewards, the Bible speaks of crowns. Let's look at each and see what we can learn. The first is the victor's crown. "Everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified" (vv. 25-27 NKJV). Paul points out that athletes who expect to win must actively train. And we, likewise, must retain self-control even in things that, although not inherently evil, can weaken our devotion to God. A pastor explains: Sometimes we have to turn off the television so we can study our Bibles. We have to get up earlier in the mornings to have our daily devotions. We have to exercise self-control in what comes into our minds. We can't watch many of today's television programs or movies-much less the streaming material accessible on our phones and computers-without violating biblical standards of personal holiness. We can't subject our bodies to drug or alcohol abuse or allow immorality to creep into our relationships. We've got to keep our tempers [and tongues] under the control of the Holy Spirit...and we have to depend on God to strengthen us in our resolutions to live disciplined lives." The Bible says, "Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown"-the victor's crown.The five crowns  The victor's crownThe five crowns (2)."What will be our...crown as we stand before our Lord Jesus when he returns? It is you!" 1Th 2:19 NLTThe second crown mentioned in Scripture is the crown of rejoicing. It's given to those who take part in leading others to Christ. The background for this passage is written about in Acts 17, which tells the story of Paul arriving in the city of Thessalonica. He went into the synagogue, "and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining...that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, 'This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ'" (vv. 2-3 NKJV). Some of his hearers were converted, including a great multitude of devout Greeks and a number of prominent women. As a result, a church was built there. Writing to them later, Paul said that they would be his crown when Christ returned. We should all follow Bill Bright's example; he was one of the best soul winners of the twentieth century. And he once disclosed his secret: "Although I have shared Christ personally with many thousands of people through the years, I am a rather reserved person and I do not always find it easy to witness. But I have made this my practice, and l urge you to do the same: Assume that whenever you are alone with another person for more than a few moments, you are there by divine appointment to explain...the love and forgiveness he [or she] can know through faith in Jesus Christ." When was the last time you shared the gospel with someone? Whenever you do, the Lord is fitting you for a crown of rejoicing.The five crowns The crown of rejoicingShare This DevotionalSend us a textSupport the showChanging Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

We delve into the Sinai Covenant and the laws and teachings it encompasses. We discuss the fear of God and how it should motivate a pure and righteous life. The complexity of the Israelites' relationship with God is examined, along with an exploration of the regulations given by God, including slavery, restitution, and Sabbaths. We reflect on the importance of the Sabbath as the primary sign of the Sinai Covenant and conclude with the formal establishment of the Sinai Covenant with blood. Support the showRead along with us in the Bible Brief App! Try the Bible Brief book for an offline experience!Get your free Bible Timeline with the 10 Steps: Timeline LinkSupport the show: Tap here to become a monthly supporter!Review the show: Tap here!Want to go deeper?...Download the Bible Brief App!iPhone: App Store LinkAndroid: Play Store LinkWant a physical book? Check out "Bible Brief" by our founder!Amazon: Amazon LinkWebsite: biblebrief.orgInstagram: @biblelitTwitter: @bible_litFacebook: @biblelitEmail the Show: biblebrief@biblelit.org Want to learn the Bible languages (Greek & Hebrew)? Check out ou...

April 25, 2025 - Equipped 2025 - Day 2 - 11:00M Session   Reviewing the first chapters of Isaiah, Bill reviews what he would refer to as a "Glimpse of God".   Isaiah 1 - Judah Called to Repentance 1 The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. The Wickedness of Judah 2 Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth! For the Lord has spoken: “I have nourished and brought up children, And they have rebelled against Me; 3 The ox knows its owner And the donkey its master's crib; But Israel does not know, My people do not consider.” 4 Alas, sinful nation, A people laden with iniquity, A brood of evildoers, Children who are corrupters! They have forsaken the Lord, They have provoked to anger The Holy One of Israel, They have turned away backward. 5 Why should you be stricken again? You will revolt more and more. The whole head is sick, And the whole heart faints. 6 From the sole of the foot even to the head, There is no soundness in it, But wounds and bruises and putrefying sores; They have not been closed or bound up, Or soothed with ointment. 7 Your country is desolate, Your cities are burned with fire; Strangers devour your land in your presence; And it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers. 8 So the daughter of Zion is left as a booth in a vineyard, As a hut in a garden of cucumbers, As a besieged city. 9 Unless the Lord of hosts Had left to us a very small remnant, We would have become like Sodom, We would have been made like Gomorrah. 10 Hear the word of the Lord, You rulers of Sodom; Give ear to the law of our God, You people of Gomorrah: 11 “To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to Me?” Says the Lord. “I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams And the fat of fed cattle. I do not delight in the blood of bulls, Or of lambs or goats. 12 “When you come to appear before Me, Who has required this from your hand, To trample My courts? 13 Bring no more futile sacrifices; Incense is an abomination to Me. The New Moons, the Sabbaths, and the calling of assemblies— I cannot endure iniquity and the sacred meeting. 14 Your New Moons and your appointed feasts My soul hates; They are a trouble to Me, I am weary of bearing them. 15 When you spread out your hands, I will hide My eyes from you; Even though you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood. 16 “Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil, 17 Learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor; Defend the fatherless, Plead for the widow. 18 “Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the Lord, “Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool. 19 If you are willing and obedient, You shall eat the good of the land; 20 But if you refuse and rebel, You shall be devoured by the sword”; For the mouth of the Lord has spoken. The Degenerate City 21 How the faithful city has become a harlot! It was full of justice; Righteousness lodged in it, But now murderers. 22 Your silver has become dross, Your wine mixed with water. 23 Your princes are rebellious, And companions of thieves; Everyone loves bribes, And follows after rewards. They do not defend the fatherless, Nor does the cause of the widow come before them. 24 Therefore the Lord says, The Lord of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel, “Ah, I will rid Myself of My adversaries, And take vengeance on My enemies. 25 I will turn My hand against you, And thoroughly purge away your dross, And take away all your alloy. 26 I will restore your judges as at the first, And your counselors as at the beginning. Afterward you shall be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city.” 27 Zion shall be redeemed with justice, And her penitents with righteousness. 28 The destruction of transgressors and of sinners shall be together, And those who forsake the Lord shall be consumed. 29 For they shall be ashamed of the terebinth trees Which you have desired; And you shall be embarrassed because of the gardens Which you have chosen. 30 For you shall be as a terebinth whose leaf fades, And as a garden that has no water. 31 The strong shall be as tinder, And the work of it as a spark; Both will burn together, And no one shall quench them.   Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPoPNm13GK4   Duration 39:59

Send us a textJesus' life did not end with his death and burial. No, on the third day he arose bodily from the dead. Also he did not simply arise and disappear. He spent 40 more days on earth visiting with his disciples before he ascended back to heaven. Luke gives us this summary in Acts 1:1-3 "The first book I wrote, Theophilus, concerned all that Jesus began both to do and to teach, until the day in which he was received up, after he had given commandment through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. To these he also showed himself alive after he suffered, by many proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking about God's Kingdom.A review of a number of these instances are recorded in the longer ending of Mark 16 plus the more detailed events recorded in Luke 24 and John 20-21. Here is the longer ending of Mark 16 plus the shorter ending for your reference from the Berean Standard Bible. This podcast is an overview of these appearances. They function as proof of the physical resurrection of Jesus in an immortal state. In this body he ascended into heaven on the 40th day after he arose from the deadJesus Appears to Mary Magdalene (John 20:10–18) 9 Early on the first day of the week, after Jesus had risen, c He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom He had driven out seven demons. 10 She went and told those who had been with Him, who were mourning and weeping. 11 And when they heard that Jesus was alive and she had seen Him, they did not believe it. Jesus Appears to Two Disciples (Luke 24:13–35) 12 After this, Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them as they walked along in the country. 13 And they went back and reported it to the rest, but they did not believe them either. The Great Commission (Matthew 28:16–20) 14 Later, as they were eating, Jesus appeared to the Eleven and rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen. 15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In My name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; d 18 they will pick up snakes with their hands, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not harm them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will be made well.” The Ascension (Luke 24:50–53; Acts 1:6–11) 19 After the Lord Jesus e had spoken to them, He was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. 20 And they went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked through them, confirming His word by the signs that accompanied it. Footnotes: 2 a Literally And very early on the first of the Sabbaths,  8 b Some early manuscripts end the Gospel of Mark after verse 8. Other manuscripts contain only a short ending, a version of the following: Bible Insights with Wayne ConradContact: 8441 Hunnicut Rd Dallas, Texas 75228email: Att. Bible Insights Wayne Conradgsccdallas@gmail.com (Good Shepherd Church) Donation https://gsccdallas.orghttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJTZX6qasIrPmC1wQpben9ghttps://www.facebook.com/waconrad or gscchttps://www.sermonaudio.com/gsccSpirit, Truth and Grace MinistriesPhone # 214-324-9915 leave message with number for call backPsalms 119:105 Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.

By Jorge de Campos - Lev 23:15 'And you shall count for yourselves from the day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering: seven Sabbaths shall be completed. Lev 23:16 Count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath; then you shall offer a new grain offering to the LORD.

Supporta BLMP genom att bli en patron! Spana in de olika alternativen på http://www.patreon.com/blmetalpodcast Eller supporta genom swish: 070-8961174 B.L. och Heidenhammer har bjudit in Fredrik Westin för att besnacka Black Sabbaths trettonde giv "The Eternal Idol" från 1987. Glenn Hughes är helt ute ur bilden och Ray Gillen tar över mikrofonen mitt i "Seventh Star"-turnén, men blir inte särskilt långlivad han heller. Debutanten och ungtuppen Tony Martin kliver in för att under 8 dagar få till sången till ännu en skiva med spretig lineup. Rörigt? Den som lyss' får hör'! Trevlig helg!

Audio Recording Audio Block Double-click here to upload or link to a .mp3. Learn more Sermon OutlineSpeaker: Rev. Tim ChangSermon Series: Come, Let Us Walk in the Light of the LordIsaiah 56:1-8 (ESV)1 Thus says the LORD:“Keep justice, and do righteousness,for soon my salvation will come,and my righteousness be revealed.2 Blessed is the man who does this,and the son of man who holds it fast,who keeps the Sabbath, not profaning it,and keeps his hand from doing any evil.”3 Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD say,“The LORD will surely separate me from his people”;and let not the eunuch say,“Behold, I am a dry tree.”4 For thus says the LORD:“To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths,who choose the things that please meand hold fast my covenant,5 I will give in my house and within my wallsa monument and a namebetter than sons and daughters;I will give them an everlasting namethat shall not be cut off.6 “And the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD,to minister to him, to love the name of the LORD,and to be his servants,everyone who keeps the Sabbath and does not profane it,and holds fast my covenant—7 these I will bring to my holy mountain,and make them joyful in my house of prayer;their burnt offerings and their sacrificeswill be accepted on my altar;for my house shall be called a house of prayerfor all peoples.”8 The Lord GOD,who gathers the outcasts of Israel, declares,“I will gather yet others to himbesides those already gathered.”Sermon Outline1. What is righteous living? (v.1)1 Thus says the LORD: “Keep justice, and do righteousness, for soon my salvation will come, and my righteousness be revealed.2. Who is righteous living for? (v. 3-6) [4] For thus says the LORD: “To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, who choose the things that please me and hold fast my covenant, [6] “And the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD, to minister to him, to love the name of the LORD, and to be his servants, everyone who keeps the Sabbath and does not profane it, and holds fast my covenant— [3] Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD say, “The LORD will surely separate me from his people”; and let not the eunuch say, “Behold, I am a dry tree.”3. How do we live righteously? (v. 4-8) [4] For thus says the LORD: “To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, who choose the things that please me and hold fast my covenant, [5] I will give in my house and within my walls a monument and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off. [7] these I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; [7] for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.” [8] The Lord GOD, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, declares, “I will gather yet others to him besides those already gathered.”Prayer of ConfessionGracious God, you call us to keep justice and do righteousness, but we often put ourselves first than our neighbors. We make it more difficult for others to enter your kingdom, and we lose sight of how you graciously welcomed us despite our sins. Thank you for the righteous life of Jesus who ended our fears, gathered us to your family, and invites us to live righteously so that more may taste heaven. Amen.Questions for Reflection1. What connected with you from the sermon or the passage?2. In your own words, how would you describe righteous living after reading Isaiah 56:1?3. When did you receive or experience someone else's righteous living?4. Our passage tells us that foreigners and eunuchs, once considered outsiders, are now fully welcomed by God. Why do you think this would have been surprising and challenging for the original listeners? 5. Why is the practice of Sabbath so central in this passage? 6. How does Jesus show righteous living differently than we might typically think about it?7. If righteous living means following Jesus and continuing his ministry, what's one small but meaningful way you can live righteously this week?8. What do you sense God calling you to do from this passage?Read AheadIsaiah Sermon Series

Audio Recording Sermon OutlineSpeaker: Rev. Tim ChangSermon Series: Come, Let Us Walk in the Light of the LordIsaiah 56:1-8 (ESV)1 Thus says the LORD:“Keep justice, and do righteousness,for soon my salvation will come,and my righteousness be revealed.2 Blessed is the man who does this,and the son of man who holds it fast,who keeps the Sabbath, not profaning it,and keeps his hand from doing any evil.”3 Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD say,“The LORD will surely separate me from his people”;and let not the eunuch say,“Behold, I am a dry tree.”4 For thus says the LORD:“To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths,who choose the things that please meand hold fast my covenant,5 I will give in my house and within my wallsa monument and a namebetter than sons and daughters;I will give them an everlasting namethat shall not be cut off.6 “And the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD,to minister to him, to love the name of the LORD,and to be his servants,everyone who keeps the Sabbath and does not profane it,and holds fast my covenant—7 these I will bring to my holy mountain,and make them joyful in my house of prayer;their burnt offerings and their sacrificeswill be accepted on my altar;for my house shall be called a house of prayerfor all peoples.”8 The Lord GOD,who gathers the outcasts of Israel, declares,“I will gather yet others to himbesides those already gathered.”Sermon Outline1. What is righteous living? (v.1)1 Thus says the LORD: “Keep justice, and do righteousness, for soon my salvation will come, and my righteousness be revealed.2. Who is righteous living for? (v. 3-6) [4] For thus says the LORD: “To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, who choose the things that please me and hold fast my covenant, [6] “And the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD, to minister to him, to love the name of the LORD, and to be his servants, everyone who keeps the Sabbath and does not profane it, and holds fast my covenant— [3] Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD say, “The LORD will surely separate me from his people”; and let not the eunuch say, “Behold, I am a dry tree.”3. How do we live righteously? (v. 4-8) [4] For thus says the LORD: “To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, who choose the things that please me and hold fast my covenant, [5] I will give in my house and within my walls a monument and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off. [7] these I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; [7] for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.” [8] The Lord GOD, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, declares, “I will gather yet others to him besides those already gathered.”Prayer of ConfessionGracious God, you call us to keep justice and do righteousness, but we often put ourselves first than our neighbors. We make it more difficult for others to enter your kingdom, and we lose sight of how you graciously welcomed us despite our sins. Thank you for the righteous life of Jesus who ended our fears, gathered us to your family, and invites us to live righteously so that more may taste heaven. Amen.Questions for Reflection1. What connected with you from the sermon or the passage?2. In your own words, how would you describe righteous living after reading Isaiah 56:1?3. When did you receive or experience someone else's righteous living?4. Our passage tells us that foreigners and eunuchs, once considered outsiders, are now fully welcomed by God. Why do you think this would have been surprising and challenging for the original listeners? 5. Why is the practice of Sabbath so central in this passage? 6. How does Jesus show righteous living differently than we might typically think about it?7. If righteous living means following Jesus and continuing his ministry, what's one small but meaningful way you can live righteously this week?8. What do you sense God calling you to do from this passage?Read AheadIsaiah Sermon Series

Understanding Sacrifice — Review of Lesson #6 of the 2nd Quarter of 2025 -The Sabbath School Lesson study guide can be found here:— https://ssnet.org/lessons/25b/less06.html— https://www.adultbiblestudyguide.org/archives— https://sabbath-school.adventech.io/enThe title of this quarter's theme is: Allusions, Images, Symbols: How to Study Bible ProphecyFor the next 13 weeks (April to June 2025), we will study some of the principles that are necessary for a correct understanding of Bible prophecy. We're also going to look at how the symbols of prophecy are consistently used across scripture.  This is a foundational study, even though we can only go but so deep in 13 lessons.Related Podcasts:— All About Types and Symbols— The Divinity of Jesus Christ— Christ, Humanity and Salvation— Why Did Jesus Come to Earth?— Everlasting CovenantRelated Podcasts at TrueWisdom:— Start at the Start— Bigger than just the Earth— Is the Sin Worth the Sacrifice— What God RequiresText UsSupport the showPlease send your questions or comments to: BibleQuestions@ASBzone.comDuring many of our podcasts, you will hear us make reference to "The Key Principles of Effective Bible Study," a document which outlines core concepts shown in the Scriptures that will help you better understand many Biblical themes and doctrines. We have done a whole podcast series on these principles which can be found here (https://BibleStudy.ASBzone.com/357512/8572886).God's Precious Word is a condensed, 9-part series, based on the same document. Lastly, we recommend that you check out https://TrueWisdom.buzzsprout.com for a related Bible Study podcast, in a different format, co-hosted with Robert Baker.We pray that all of these resources will be very helpful to you in your Bible Studies.

Law and the Real Sabbath (1) (audio) David Eells – 5/4/25 First, let me say that we do have a Sabbath to keep in the New Covenant. If you, who have eyes to see, will be patient and hear me out, I will show you that it is the best news you have ever heard. The Sunday Sabbath folks want to bring us under the law of man, and the Saturday Sabbath folks want to bring us under the Law of the Old Covenant, which God refused to make with the Gentiles (Psa.147:19,20; Deu.7:6,11). If you hold either one of these positions, do not be afraid to examine this subject for the truth will hold up to scriptural scrutiny. The early church kept neither Sunday nor Saturday as the New Testament Sabbath until a great falling away in the third century. The Old Covenant Saturday Sabbath was a type and shadow of what is promised in the New Covenant, but as we will see, Sunday is not the fulfillment of it. (Col.2:16) Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a feast day or a new moon or a Sabbath day: (17) which are a shadow of the things to come; but the body is Christ's. As anyone knows, a shadow is not real; it is only darkness. It is created because what is real is in the light. When Christians try to keep the Old Covenant Sabbath, they are in darkness and have not yet come into the light of the real Sabbath. The Jews never knew what the real Sabbath was, only the shadow or type of the New Testament Sabbath. God never made the Law covenant with the Gentiles. For a Christian to come under part of the Law, like the old Sabbath, is to come under a curse for not keeping the whole Law. (Gal.3:10) For as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one who continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the law, to do them. Christ delivered us from the curse of failing to keep any part of God's Law. (13) Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us; for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: (14) that upon the Gentiles might come the blessing of Abraham in Christ Jesus; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. We are now justified by faith, not by keeping any part of the Law. Paul then warned the Christians not to go back under the Law in observing feast days and Sabbath days. (Gal.4:9) but now that ye have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how turn ye back again to the weak and beggarly rudiments, whereunto ye desire to be in bondage over again? (10) Ye observe days, and months, and seasons, and years. (11) I am afraid of you, lest by any means I have bestowed labor upon you in vain. Paul warned by the Spirit that these believers could not be Christ-like under the Law. (19) My little children, of whom I am again in travail until Christ be formed in you. Paul then warned that the Christians who go back under the Law are sons of the bondwoman Hagar and not the freewoman Sarah. (21) Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? (22) For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, one by the handmaid, and one by the freewoman. (23) Howbeit the [son] by the handmaid is born after the flesh; but the [son] by the freewoman [is born] through promise. Here we come to a stern warning for those seeking to be justified by keeping the Old Covenant Sabbath or any other part of the shadow of the Law. (30) Howbeit what saith the scripture? Cast out the handmaid and her son: for the son of the handmaid shall not inherit with the son of the freewoman. For a Christian to go under any part of the Law is for him to go into bondage and be cut off from the benefits of Christ. (5:1) For freedom did Christ set us free: stand fast therefore, and be not entangled again in a yoke of bondage. (2) Behold, I Paul say unto you, that, if ye receive circumcision (Or any other part of the Law), Christ will profit you nothing. (3) Yea, I testify again to every man that receiveth circumcision (Or any other part of the Law), that he is a debtor to do the whole law. (4) Ye are severed from Christ, ye would be justified by the law; ye are fallen away from grace. We are “severed from Christ” when we do not follow or abide in Him, but the Law. Only under grace through faith are we united with Christ through justification and delivered from the curse. Neither Jesus nor the Apostles told us to keep the Old Covenant Sabbath. Jesus always appeared to the disciples and taught on the Lord's day after His resurrection because it was His resurrection day, the first day of the week (Luk.24:1,13; Luk.27-32; Joh.20:1,17,19, 26; Rev.1:10-13). The disciples gathered on the first day of the week (Act.20:7; 1Co.16:1,2). However, they did not make the Lord's Day into a command or law, but a custom; and they never claimed it was the Sabbath. Apostate men did that. Jesus and the disciples went to the Jews on their Sabbath to evangelize them and bring them into the New Covenant Sabbath rest through the promises. Jesus was constantly accused of breaking their shadow Sabbath (Mat.12:2; Joh.5:16-19; 9:16) because He was not under the Law. We will also be accused of this if we follow in His steps instead of being “severed from Christ” by keeping a Law that was never given to us. The Apostles and elders in Acts 15 were gathered together to see whether to bring the Gentiles under the Law. They came to a conclusion that those under the Sabbath Law need to understand. (Act.15:19) Wherefore my judgment is, that we trouble not them that from among the Gentiles turn to God; (20) but that we write unto them, that they abstain from the pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from what is strangled, and from blood. These few things he commanded so that the Jews would not consider them anathema. This was important for the Jews' sake so that they could be evangelized. (21) For Moses from generations of old hath in every city them that preach him (Law), being read in the synagogues every Sabbath. (28) For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things.... Notice that the Sabbath was not commanded of the Gentiles. Neither were a lot of other things that the legalists bring the ignorant Christians under. The Law passed away and was fulfilled in Christ, except for those whose hearts are blinded by the veil. (2Co.3:12) Having therefore such a hope, we use great boldness of speech, (13) and [are] not as Moses, [who] put a veil upon his face, that the children of Israel should not look steadfastly on the end of that which was passing away: (14) but their minds were hardened: for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remaineth, it not being revealed [to them] that it is done away in Christ. (15) But unto this day, whensoever Moses is read, a veil lieth upon their heart. (16) But whensoever it shall turn to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Don't go into bondage with the veil of Old Covenant Laws, which are just shadows or parables of what was to come. Now we, with an unveiled face see the New Covenant in Christ. (17) Now the Lord is the Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, [there] is liberty. (18) But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit. The Law was cancelled because it could not complete or make perfect, because it was only a shadow of the good things to come in the New Covenant. (Heb.7:18) For there is a disannulling (Greek: Annulled or cancelled) of a foregoing commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness (19) (for the law made nothing perfect), and a bringing in thereupon of a better hope (The New covenant through grace), through which we draw nigh unto God. The purpose of those under the Law was to give us a shadow or parable of the great things to come. (Heb.8:5) who serve [that which is] a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, even as Moses is warned [of God] when he is about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern that was showed thee in the mount. (6) But now hath he obtained a ministry the more excellent, by so much as he is also the mediator of a better covenant, which hath been enacted upon better promises. (7) For if that first [covenant] had been faultless, then would no place have been sought for a second. (8) For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, That I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah; (9) Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers ... (13) In that he saith, A new [covenant] he hath made the first old. But that which is becoming old and waxeth aged is nigh unto vanishing away. (10:1) For the law having a shadow of the good [things] to come, not the very image of the things, can never with the same sacrifices year by year, which they offer continually, make perfect them that draw nigh. The Law was always planned to be a temporary shadow. (Gal.3:19) What then is the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise hath been made... So there was an end of the Olde Covenant law. The Sabbath was eternal as the legalists will tell you (Exo.31:16). So how could it be eternal and still pass away? What they do not understand is that it changed from letter to spirit in the New Covenant (2Co.3:2-11). The letter of the type, shadow, or parable as taught in the Old Covenant is now fulfilled in the spirit of the New Covenant. Jesus said in (Mat.5:17) Think not that I came to destroy the law or the prophets: I came not to destroy, but to fulfill. (18) For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass away from the law, till all things be accomplished. So now we must fulfill the parable. Fulfilling or accomplishing the Law is not the same as being under the Old Covenant Law as Jesus went on to demonstrate. (21) Ye have heard that it was said to them of old time (Notice that the Law was spoken unto them, not us.), Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: (22) but I say unto you, that every one who is angry with his brother shall be in danger of the judgment. Notice that Jesus changed the Law from regulations of our actions to regulations of our heart, as the prophets said would come (Jer.31:33) But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith Jehovah: I will put my law in their inward parts, and in their heart will I write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Those who do not permit anger in their heart will fulfill the Law and not kill. (27) Ye have heard that it was said, Thou shalt not commit adultery: (28) but I say unto you, that every one that looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. Jesus interpreted the Law again. If we do what He says and avoid lust, we will fulfill the Law by not committing adultery. Jesus continued to demonstrate how changing the Law from outer actions to inner nature will fulfill it (Mat.5:33, 43). If God changed all these Laws in order to fulfill them, then He did the same with the Sabbath. The Sabbath was meant to be a change in our nature rather than a regulation of our actions, one day a week. If a person rests from his own works every day by believing in Christ's finished work, he will certainly fulfill the Law of resting for one day. The Law will be fulfilled in us, but not by keeping the letter, “For the letter kills but the spirit gives life”. It will be fulfilled through us as we walk in and by the Spirit. (Gal.5:16) But I say, walk by the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. (18) But if ye are led by the Spirit, ye are not under the law. When you see what's written in the shadow of the Law, you must look in the New Covenant to find out what the fulfillment is. Circumcision was necessary under penalty of death, but Paul, by the Spirit, changed it from a carnal shadow to the spiritual fulfillment of baptism. (Col.2:11) ... in the circumcision of Christ; (12) having been buried with him in baptism. Under the Old Covenant, we were 90% owners and 10% stewards but according to Jesus, we are now 100% stewards, or we are not really disciples. (Luk.14:33) So therefore whosoever he be of you that renounceth not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple. To Peter, it was revealed that the Old Covenant carnal restriction on eating unclean beasts was spiritually a restriction of partaking of unclean people, which Solomon called beasts (Ecc.3:18), and the gospel solves that problem. (Act.10:11) and he beholdeth the heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending, as it were a great sheet, let down by four corners upon the earth: 12 wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts and creeping things of the earth and birds of the heaven. 13 And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill and eat. 14 But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common and unclean. 15 And a voice [came] unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, make not thou common. Then Peter was sent with the gospel to the Gentiles and got the revelation that they were the unclean beasts that God had cleansed. (28) and he said unto them, Ye yourselves know how it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to join himself or come unto one of another nation; and [yet] unto me hath God showed that I should not call any man common or unclean. As you can see, it was the habit of Jesus and the disciples to translate the shadow to the spiritual reality. It is a violation of the Spirit to bring old Covenant ceremonial laws into the New Covenant without translating them. Since this is so, we must find out what the Sabbath translates to. Let me explain the New Testament Sabbath rest. The Sabbath shadow was to cease from man's works one day a week. But we are commanded to do this every day.  We can cease from works of religious self-justification, works of the flesh, and various forms of salvation by man's works, through faith in the work that Christ has already accomplished. Jesus said, “All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye receive (Greek: received) them, and ye shall have them (Mar.11:24). Why believe that we have received everything? Notice in the following verses that all things have been received by us and that the only thing left is for us to believe it. Also note the past-tense of our sacrificial provision in the following verses: (Eph.2:8) For by grace have ye been saved through faith; (1Pe.2:24) Who his own self bare our sins in his body ...by whose stripes ye were healed; (Col.1:13) Who delivered us out of the power of darkness and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love; (2Co.5:18) ...who reconciled us to himself; (Gal.2:20) I have been crucified with Christ, and its no longer I that live, but Christ liveth in me; (Gal.3:13) Christ redeemed us from the curse; (1Pe.1:3) ...the Father ...begat us again ...by the resurrection of Jesus Christ; (Heb.10:10) We ...have been sanctified ...; (14) He hath perfected forever them that are sanctified; (Eph.1:3) ...who hath blessed us with every spiritual blessing, and God (2Pe.1:3) hath granted unto us all things .... Jesus told us in His day which, of course, is also in the past that “Now shall the prince of this world be cast out” (Joh.12:31); “But be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (Joh.16:33); “It is finished” (Joh.19:30). This is why we are to believe we have received. The devil and the curse were conquered. We were saved, healed, delivered, and provided for. We can rest from our own works to accomplish this when we truly believe. Let me give you an example. (1Pe.2:24) who his own self bare our sins in his body upon the tree, that we, having died unto sins, might live unto righteousness; by whose stripes ye were healed. The one who believes that Jesus already “bare our sins” considers himself delivered and can rest. He no longer has to worry about how to be delivered because he reckons himself to be “dead unto sin but alive unto God” (Rom.6:11). He reckons within himself, “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ living in me” (Gal.2:20). He can rest. Notice that the one who believes that “by whose stripes ye were healed” never has to resort to his own works to get healed. All he has to do is rest and receive it by faith. If a man continues to try to get healed when the Word says he was healed, he shows he does not believe the Word. He has not ceased from his own works to enter the rest by believing 1 Peter 2:24. All the sacrificial promises are past-tense to cause us to rest from our works every day. Redemption from the curse is truly finished! In fact, God's “works were finished from the foundation of the world” (Heb.4:3) when He spoke the plan into existence. The only thing left is for the true sons of God to enter into those works by faith, believing they have received. Since the works are finished, we should believe and rest from our own works to save, heal, and deliver ourselves. (3) For we who have believed do enter into that rest. Notice it is not the one who ceases from works on Saturday or Sunday but the one who believes who enters the New Covenant Sabbath rest every day. (9) There remaineth therefore a Sabbath rest (Greek: sabbatismos, “keeping of rest”) for the people of God. This constant “keeping of rest” every day, not one day a week, through the past-tense promises, is our spiritual Sabbath. (10) For he that is entered into his rest hath himself also rested from his works, as God did from his. This rest is to believe these past-tense promises and rest from our own works or man's works to save ourselves. Our faith in each of these promises brings us into more of the rest. We should be diligent not to leave out even one of these promises for our own good. (Heb.4:1) Let us fear therefore, lest haply, a promise being left of entering into his rest, any one of you should seem to have come short of it. (2) For indeed we have had good tidings preached unto us, even as also they: but the word of hearing did not profit them, because it was not united by faith with them that heard. This is true faith and always brings the answer. Through believing the promises, we enter into rest from our own works. For a child of God to say that they believe they have received and yet continue seeking to receive, usually through worldly methods, is to be double-minded. (Jas.1:6) But let him ask in faith, nothing doubting: for he that doubteth is like the surge of the sea driven by the wind and tossed. (7) For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord; (8) a doubleminded man, unstable in all his ways. Those who continue to work for what God has freely given believe in salvation by works. (Heb.4:10) For he that is entered into his rest, hath himself also rested from his works. (Jas.3:19) And we see that they were not able to enter in because of unbelief. Since the promises of deliverance from the curse are past-tense, when we believe them, we must stop working. It is an evil heart of unbelief to not rest. God was angry with Israel because they would not believe His Word in their trial in the wilderness (Heb.3:8-10). (Heb.3:11) As I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest (the Sabbath!). (12) Take heed, brethren, lest haply there shall be in any one of you an evil heart of unbelief, in falling away from the living God .... (14) We are become partakers of Christ (His health, holiness, and blessing) if we hold fast the beginning of our confidence firm unto the end. When we believe we have received, we are put in a position of weakness because we cannot do anything to bring the desired result to pass. This weakness is rest in our wilderness experiences because there is no help from Egypt or the world there. Only God's power saves in the wilderness. God says, “My power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor.12:9). If we refuse to be weak, God refuses to be strong on our behalf. Our weapon against our enemies who try to talk us out of our covenant rights is the two-edged sword of these past-tense promises (Heb.4:11,12). Let me share with you a good example of the power of the true gospel through faith in our past provision. Several years ago, I ran across a lady who had two large, inoperable tumors. She listed for me several famous preachers she had been to, who had prayed for her to be healed. She said to me, “David, I just don't understand why I have not been healed”. I said, “You just told me why you have not been healed. You are looking in the wrong direction. Turn around and look behind you for 'by whose stripes ye were healed' (1Pe.2:24). You are looking forward to a healing that happened behind you. You have a little hope, but no faith. Faith 'calls the things that be not (in this case, healing) as though they were' (Rom.4:17). Faith looks back at what was accomplished at the cross, but hope looks forward to what will be accomplished. Jesus said, 'All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for believe that ye receive (Greek: “received”) them, and ye shall have them' (Mar.11:24). That is the gospel, sister, that you must believe”. With these few words, I saw the light come on in her eyes; and her face brighten up. I said, “Now we are going to pray one more time; but this time believe the Scriptures, and believe you have received whether you see an instant manifestation, or not”. She agreed, so I rebuked the infirmity and commanded her to be healed in Jesus' name. She instantly felt the tumors leave. We rejoiced and thanked God together. I said, “Sister, that is the first time you believed the true gospel concerning your healing. If you had done that when those other preachers prayed, you would have been healed.” Because she, through faith, entered into rest from her own works to save herself, she saw the works of Jesus. Many do not receive from God because they do not keep our Sabbath through faith. Many years ago, I had a dream about resting from my works in order to be caught up by the power of God to do His works. In scene one, my wife and I were resting in lawn chairs in front of our house. Our gaze was riveted on the power line that crossed our property because it was sagging between the power poles so much that it almost touched the ground. As we watched and rested, a tornado came over that power line and picked us up out of our chairs and carried us away. Interpretation: God helped me to understand this prophetic dream. As we cease from our works and enter into the rest (the lawn chairs), the power of man (power line) comes to an end, and the power of God (tornado or whirlwind) takes over. God only gives this power to those who cease from their own works, even religious works, to follow His Spirit because they believe the promises. In scene two, I found myself in front of a large church. I walked through the front door and standing in the foyer was an “old man” in a suit. I avoided this old man as if he were a rattlesnake and went into the sanctuary, so-called. I saw there a large double sink, full of water. In the water were babies; they were faced down and most were dead. I quickly went to the sink, picked up a baby, and held him in the air. He spoke to me saying, “Thank God, I knew he was going to send someone”. Interpretation: I was made to know that there are many carnal ministers (old man - Eph.4:22; Col.3:9,10) who are trying to wash up the people of God (babies in the sink) by using the word as the letter of the Law (which is the water in Eph.5:26) and they're killing them instead. (2Co.3:6) who also made us sufficient as ministers of a new covenant; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. The letter of the Law that is taught by the Pharisees of today only gets our eyes on our own earthly ability or inability, like being face down in the water, which kills. Many are they that sit under the condemnation of the Law, which is a powerless false gospel, only to give up in their failure to please God and go back into the world or die on a church pew. We cannot pick ourselves up by our bootstraps or be saved by our own self-will. This is an understanding that is from the earth, and is face down. Seeking this is to be “ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” (2Ti.3:7) that sets free. Jesus purposely spoke in parables so that only those who have eyes and ears for heavenly things would understand (Mat.13:10-14). These seek a knowledge that is born from above, I.e., face up. (Mat.16:17) And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jonah: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father who is in heaven. As always, those whose understanding is “face up” will be fought by those whose understanding is “face down”. The good news of the promises is the power of God given freely to save the one who believes (Rom.1:16). These promises get our eyes on God's ability and provision or face up. These promises give faith (Rom.10:17) to get grace (Eph.2:8) in order to have the power to live the Christian life and cease from our works. The Jews complained that Jesus' disciples were breaking the Sabbath by harvesting grain to eat (Mat.12:1,2), which was true according to the Law (Exo.31:14-17). Jesus replied to them; (Mat.12:5) Or have ye not read in the law, that on the Sabbath day the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, and are guiltless? Notice that He was proclaiming that His disciples were guiltless for profaning the old Sabbath. The priests, in order to fulfill the Sabbath, had to work in the temple. They did the work of God as we should also. Jesus was rebuked for healing on the Sabbath. Those outside the temple had to cease from their own works. (6) But I say unto you, that one greater than the temple is here. Jesus is our New Testament temple. We who abide in Him must work His works in order to fulfill the Sabbath. We must work the works of our Father, for we are the priests of God. (Rev.1:6) and he made us [to be] a kingdom, [to be] priests unto his God and Father .... Those who do not abide in Him have not ceased from their own works and are breaking the real Sabbath. Those who follow Christ as Lord are keeping the Sabbath, for He is Lord of the Sabbath. (Mat.12:8) For the Son of man is Lord of the sabbath. If we follow the Lord, then we have rested from our works to do His works. (Joh.14:12) ... he that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater [works] than these shall he do; because I go unto the Father. If we follow the Law, we are cut off from Christ and grace and cannot be keeping the real Sabbath (Gal.5:4). Those seeking to keep the Law of the Sabbath are instead breaking it because they are not resting from the works of the Law. Those under the Law, who condemn us for following Christ on Saturday or Sunday, condemn the guiltless. (Mat.12:7) But if ye had known what this meaneth, I desire mercy, and not sacrifice; ye would not have condemned the guiltless. We are to work and do good on our Sabbath. All good is legal on our Sabbath, every day, but our old works are not. (12) ...Wherefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath day. Good, of course, is God's works. (Joh.5:16) And for this cause the Jews persecuted Jesus, because he did these things on the sabbath. (17) But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh even until now, and I work. Notice that Jesus worked His Father's works even on their shadow Sabbath. Then Jesus specified what works are legal on our Sabbath. (19) ...The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father doing: for what things soever he doeth, these the Son also doeth in like manner. We see here that works that come from self are illegal on our Sabbath, but works that our Father does through us are not. (30) I can of myself do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is righteous; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. As sons seeking the will of God, we also may work the works of God on our spiritual Sabbath but not the works of self. Even the Old Covenant gives us clues to this principle. (Isa.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, [and] the holy of Jehovah honorable; and shalt honor it, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking [thine own] words: (14) then shalt thou delight thyself in Jehovah; and I will make thee to ride upon the high places of the earth; and I will feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of Jehovah hath spoken it. Jesus said that He always did the will of His Father. Therefore He always rested from His own works, and those who follow Him do also. God gives the same Spirit that Jesus had to those who wish to be empowered to follow Him and so keep the real Sabbath. (Isa.28:11) Nay, but by [men of] strange lips and with another tongue will he speak to this people; (12) to whom he said, This is the rest, give ye rest to him that is weary; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear. Paul declared this verse to be a promise to those who are filled with the Holy Spirit and speak in tongues in the New Covenant (1 Cor.14:21). Jews and Christians who refuse this Spirit to rest from the works of the Law, including the old Sabbath, are said to be those who “would not hear”. If we receive and follow the Spirit, we are not under the Sabbath or any of the Law. (Gal.5:18) But if ye are led by the Spirit, ye are not under the law. Those who receive the Spirit are empowered to live in Christ, which is the rest from the works and curse of the old Law. (Rom.8:2) For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus made me free from the law of sin and of death. We are under the Law of the Spirit. Except for prophets and kings, Israel did not have this Spirit to guide and empower them, and therefore needed rules and regulations on their external conduct. Those who live by the Spirit of life in Christ naturally fulfill the Law, which has been written in their hearts. Those who live in Christ by the Spirit cease from their own works every day. (Gal.5:16) But I say, walk by the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. Jesus said that those who received the Spirit would be witnesses of Him to the world (Acts 1:8). Jesus and His apostles never commanded to cease from work on a day. (Mat.11:28) Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden (with the Law [Mat.23:4]), and I will give you rest. The problem is that we are in and out of the rest like we are in and out of Christ. Abiding in Christ is resting in our promised benefits. Some say God gave us the gift of eternal life so he can't take it back. In Gal.3:16 we are told “to Abraham were the promises spoken, and to his seed. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many, but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ”. You see, the promises were given to Christ, not to you. The only way the promises are yours is if you abide in Christ. Abiding in Christ is: bearing His fruit (Joh.15:1-6), walking as he walked (1Jn.2:3-6), believing the same teachings given by Jesus and the apostles without adding or subtracting (1Jn.2:24 / Jude 3 / Mat.28:20 / Rev.22,18,19), not walking in willful sin (1Jn.3:5,6), keeping his commandments (1Jn.3:24). 1Jn.5:11 says that “God gave unto us eternal life, and this life is in his Son” and that is the only place we can claim this gift. God doesn't have to take it back, his people walk out of it. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body (1Co.6:18). If we walk in willful sin, we are not abiding in his body, for there is “no sin in him” (1Jn.3:5,6). Sins of ignorance or failure are covered by the blood (Rom.7:15-8:2) but willful sin is always judged. (Heb.10:26) For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more a sacrifice for sins, (27) but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and a fierceness of fire which shall devour the adversaries. The Spirit of life in Christ empowers us to walk in Him by faith in His promises. (Heb.4:9) There remaineth therefore a Sabbath rest (Greek: sabbatismos, “keeping of rest”) for the people of God. This constant “keeping of rest” is every day, not one day a week. Paul, comparing the weak in faith with those who are mature, said, (Rom.14:5) One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day [alike]. In our Covenant, every day is the Sabbath rest. As he said in Gal.4:9,10, “how turn ye back again to the weak and beggarly rudiments, whereunto ye desire to be in bondage over again? Ye observe days”. Our Sabbath is freedom from bondage to the works of the Law. Since Jesus took away our sins, it is freedom from fleshly works too. (Psa.118:24) This is the day which Jehovah hath made; We will rejoice and be glad in it. Old Jerusalem ruled over God's physical Old Testament people just as New Jerusalem rules over God's spiritual New Testament people. Paul declared that we have come to this spiritual city. He showed us that it is not a physical city that can be touched. (Heb.12:18) For ye are not come unto [a mount] that might be touched ... (22) but ye are come unto mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem ... (23) to the general assembly and church of the firstborn.... Jesus' called-out ones come to this mountain. This is the place of God's continual rest. (Psa.132:13) For Jehovah hath chosen Zion... (14) This is my resting-place for ever: Here will I dwell; for I have desired it. Unlike those under the Law, we are not to dwell outside the temple and go there occasionally, nor are we to dwell outside the rest six days and only dwell in it one. Those who dwell in this spiritual Jerusalem remain in God's resting place. There is only one day in the New Testament Jerusalem, the spiritual city of God. That day is the real Sabbath. (Rev.21:25) And the gates thereof shall in no wise be shut by day (for there shall be no night there). Notice that there is one day and no night in the city of God where the Lamb is the light (23). There is no darkness to break up the one day of God's work for those who abide in Christ. (1Jn.1:5) And this is the message which we have heard from him and announce unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. Those who abide in God continue in the light of day doing His works. (6) If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in the darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: (7) but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanseth us from all sin. Those who walk in the light of our day are always in the presence of the sun (Son). Night is to have the earth between you and the sun (Son). Our flesh came from the earth (Gen.2:7) and symbolizes the earth. When the works of our flesh come between us and the Son, we are living in the darkness of night. If we are in this idolatry with the world, whether this means our flesh or the things of the world (1Jn.2:15,16), we live in the night. Walking in the light of our one Sabbath day, the works of man are destroyed. I want to remind you that the Law is a shadow, and if you are under a shadow you are not in the light. The saints live in the lighted day of ceasing from their own works, especially the works of the Law, while the wicked live in the dark night of their own works. (1Th.5:5) For ye are all sons of light, and sons of the day (the Sabbath): we are not of the night, nor of darkness; (6) so then let us not sleep (Having their eyes closed to the light of the Son), as do the rest, but let us watch and be sober. (7) For they that sleep sleep in the night: and they that are drunken are drunken in the night. (8) But let us, since we are of the day (the Sabbath), be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for a helmet, the hope of salvation. As long as Jesus has been in this world, either in His first body or His second corporate body, it has been day. (Joh.9:5) When I am in the world, I am the light of the world. (Mat.5:14) Ye are the light of the world. That only makes one day as long as the saints are here. (Joh.9:4) We must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day (When we are ceasing from our works to do His, it is the Sabbath day.): the night cometh, when no man can work. Our works in Christ for this world are over when the Lord comes for us and then night comes for the judgment of the world. (1Th.5:2) For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. (3) When they are saying, Peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them... After the tribulation, the light of the world will be gone! (Mat.24:29) But immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven (This is the falling away and reprobation of 1/3 of the stars, representing the spiritual seed of Abraham [Rev.6:12-14; Gen.22:17]). The darkening of the light of this world here is physical as well as spiritual. Joseph shared a dream that clearly showed that the people of God spiritually are the sun, moon, and stars, “the light of this world”. (Gen.37:9) ...behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars made obeisance to me. (10) And he told it to his father, and to his brethren; and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth? Starting as a star glory, Joseph went to his cross in Egypt and was promoted in glory above his brethren, the children of Israel. We grow from star glory to moon glory and then to sun glory as we continue to walk in the light that God gives us (2Co.3:18). Paul agreed that the saints manifest these three glories in 1Co.15:41,42. Now we can see that when the Lord comes and takes His sun, moon, and star glory saints, the world will be left in the darkness of night. (Mat.24:29) But immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven. (30) ...and they shall see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. (31) And he shall send forth his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect...Glory to God! Jesus taught that the whole Christian New Covenant era on earth is only one day. (Joh.11:9) Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If a man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world. (10) But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because the light is not in him. Those who walk in this continual Sabbath day walk in the light. This spiritual day lasts until the judgment. (Mat.20:1) For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that was a householder, who went out early in the morning to hire laborers into his vineyard. Jesus started hiring laborers for His vineyard first thing in the morning, which was almost 2000 years ago. Then He gives examples of going out to hire all during the day, the third hour (verse 6), the sixth and ninth hour (verse 5), and the eleventh hour (verses 6-9). Of the eleventh hour people it was said, “These last have spent [but] one hour” (12). Then at the twelfth hour He called in all of His servants to give them their reward. (8) And when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the laborers, and pay them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. Jesus calls in all of His servants to face Him and receive their reward at His coming. (Rev.22:12) Behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to render to each man according as his work is. Midnight is the twelfth hour when the Lord comes for the virgins (Mat.25:6) and also the time when the saints leave the Egypt of this world (Exo.29:12-31). At this time, even though it is midnight for the world, the saints are walking with lamps full of Holy Spirit light (Mat.25:4). From Jesus' first coming to His second coming is one day. This one day incorporates the whole Christian New Covenant era on earth. It should not surprise us that God could change something as important as the Sabbath from many carnal days to one spiritual day. He changed something much more important, our sacrifice, from many carnal sacrifices to one spiritual sacrifice, our Lord Jesus. The Lord again defines our rest as a corporate day that covers every day. (Heb.4:6) Seeing therefore it remaineth that some should enter thereinto, and they to whom the good tidings (the promises) were before preached failed to enter in (Even though they kept the Saturday Sabbath) because of disobedience (Greek: “apeitheia” also means unbelief), (7) he again defineth a certain day, To-day, saying in David so long a time afterward (even as hath been said before), To-day if ye shall hear his voice (the promises), Harden not your hearts. (Today is any day that you are presently in. Since this verse was written to all saints throughout the New Covenant, then “today” is every day that they live in. God was telling us that when you hear His promises, do not harden your heart as Israel did, but believe to enter the rest in the day that you live in.) (8) For if Joshua had given them rest, he would not have spoken afterward of another day. Today is that day saints, not Saturday or Sunday. Five times in this text, God uses the term “To-day” to define the rest. (3:13) but exhort one another day by day, so long as it is called To-day; lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. “Day by day” it has been “called To-day” for almost 2000 years. (4:9) There remaineth therefore a Sabbath rest (Greek: sabbatismos, “keeping of rest”) for the people of God. God has been merciful to our ignorance of this true Sabbath, but judgment will now be seen the world over because we have come to a second spiritual type of the Sabbath. (2Pe.3:8) But forget not this one thing, beloved, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. Having read the writings of the early church fathers, I can tell you that they commonly believed in the one thousand-year prophetic day and that after six of these days from the beginning, the end time judgment would come. The Hindus, Muslims, and the Jews also believed this. Gibbon in The Rise And Fall of The Roman Empire said that the early Christians believed this. The Bible is laid out in seven prophetic one-thousand-year days. These days are numbered from the creation of Adam. There were four thousand years or four days between Adam and Jesus. Since the days of Jesus, the calendar has been tampered with extensively, but most researchers believe we are close to traversing two more days and coming to the beginning of the seventh, thousand-year period from Adam. Besides the regular spiritual Sabbath that we have already spoken of, this seventh, thousand-year day is a second spiritual Sabbath. When the body of Christ was crucified, it was a high Sabbath (Joh.19:31). That means it was a regular Sabbath and a second Passover Sabbath. This second spiritual Sabbath will also be a Passover Sabbath for those who have eaten the Lamb and are about to leave the Egypt of this world. This will also be a crucifixion to the fleshly works of the body of Christ. According to the shadow, when this end-time second spiritual Sabbath begins, God will judge those who go on in their own works. (Exo.31:12) And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying, 13 Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily ye shall keep my sabbaths: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am Jehovah who sanctifieth you. Christians who try to keep the Sabbath in the “letter” don't understand this because they don't see that this is a “sign”. (15) Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day is a sabbath of solemn rest, holy to Jehovah: whosoever doeth any work on the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. This is also the time when He finishes His creative work. (Gen.2:2) And on the seventh day God finished his work, which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work, which he had made. According to this type, God is about to finish His new creation work during this morning of the seventh day and rest. Every man's work will be proven by the fiery trial on the one day Sabbath. (1Co.3:12) But if any man buildeth on the foundation (of Christ) gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, stubble; (13) each man's work shall be made manifest: for the day (one Sabbath) shall declare it, because it is revealed in fire; and the fire itself shall prove each man's work of what sort it is. The wood, hay, and stubble of man's works will burn up on God's Sabbath day because, according to the shadow, there is judgment against man's work on the Sabbath. (Exo.31:14) Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that profaneth it shall surely be put to death; for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. Since there is only one Sabbath day, we have to rest every day from our own works, as the rest of the New Testament also teaches. (Rev.2:23) ... I am he that searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto each one of you according to your works. (25) And he that overcometh, and he that keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give authority over the nations. (Exo.31:15) Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day is a sabbath of solemn rest, holy to Jehovah: whosoever doeth any work on the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. 16 Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. 17 It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days Jehovah made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed. Let's look again at this verse about the refreshing in Isa 28:11 Nay, but by men of strange lips and with another tongue will he speak to this people; 12 to whom he said, This is the rest, give ye rest to him that is weary; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear. This refreshing is coming again on the morning of the 3rd day (which is the Sabbath). There's going to be a change in the way God will deal with man when this millennium begins. There must be a ceasing from a Christian's own works and enter into the rest. Man's works have been going on in the church for six days (six thousand years). The church has been falling away from keeping the true Sabbath and we're coming to a time where if you don't cease from your own works, you will be cut off from the Body of Christ. There are many Sabbaths. There's the 7th day Sabbath, the 49th year Sabbath, there's the 50th year Sabbath, and there's the 7th millennium Sabbath. There's a Sabbath called the Jubilee. A Jubilee is a year. There are 120 Jubilees every 50 years. 120 Jubilees till Noah and another 120 till the next Noah. Noah means rest. So, 120 Jubilee years until the beginning of the Sabbath. 120 Jubilee Sabbaths bring us to the actual year 6000. We are entering into the prophetic Sabbath or the millennial Sabbath.   Reconciled to God Php 4:19  And my God shall supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.  (“Every need”, not greed. “Every” would include Spiritual, physical, emotional needs.)   What is faith? Heb 11:1  Now faith is assurance [substance?] of things hoped for, a conviction of things not seen. When you believe for something that is not yet seen, that is faith. How do we have God's faith to receive every need? Mar 11:22  And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have God's faith. (This is according to the numeric pattern proof.)  23  Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou taken up and cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that what he saith cometh to pass; he shall have it. 24  Therefore I say unto you, All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye received (Numeric) them, and ye shall have them. (This is exactly what Quantum Physics, or Quantum Mechanics has proven, Jesus said it first. And here is an important condition to receiving. 25  And whensoever ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have aught against any one; that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.  Col 1:19  For it was the good pleasure of the Father that in him should all the fulness dwell; 20  and through him to reconcile (The Greek: kattallasso means “exchange” of Jesus' life for ours) all things(not Numeric) unto himself, having made peace through the blood of his cross; through him, I say, whether things upon the earth, or things those (Numeric) in the heavens. (Notice: He is not speaking of things but His people) 21  And you, being in time past alienated and enemies in your mind in your evil works, 22  yet now hath he reconciled (exchanged) in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and without blemish and unreproveable before him: 23  if so be that ye continue in the faith, grounded and stedfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel which ye heard, which was preached in all creation under heaven; whereof I Paul was made a minister.  First the sons and daughters of God are exchanged and then Christ in them can deliver the creation. Rom 8:19  For the earnest expectation of the creation waiteth for the revealing of the sons of God. 20  For the creation was subjected to vanity, not of its own will, but by reason of him who subjected it, in hope 21  that the creation itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the liberty of the glory of the children of God. 22  For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. The Lord told me that he bore the symbol of the cursed creation upon the cross. It was the crown of thorns. As we manifest our sonship we have authority over the cursed creation. We can pray for our grass, dogs, cows, bugs, trees, neighbors, etc.  Gal 3:13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us; for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:.. 2Co 5:14  For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that one died for all, therefore all died; 15  and he died for all, that they that live should no longer live unto themselves, but unto him who for their sakes died and rose again. 16  Wherefore we henceforth know no man after the flesh: even though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now we know him so no more. 17  Wherefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature: the old things (not Numeric) are passed away; behold, they are become new. 18  But all things (not Numeric) are of God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and gave unto us the ministry of reconciliation; 19  to wit, that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not reckoning unto them their trespasses, and having committed unto us the word of reconciliation. (We reconcile others by showing them the exchange.) 20  We are ambassadors therefore on behalf of Christ, as though God were entreating by us: we beseech you on behalf of Christ, be ye reconciled to God. 21  Him who knew no sin he made to be sin on our behalf; that we might become the righteousness of God in him.    Believe You Received and Rest Suani Guzman - 01/09/2010 I want to share a quick dream that helped me a lot. We all know that we must abide in the Sabbath Rest and boldly speak the good confession, but we don't always do it. So the Lord has to remind us sometimes. I have been going through some hard trials with caring for my elderly parents. I don't want to impose my faith on them but at the same time I'm trying to stand for their spiritual and physical salvation. The Lord impressed upon me that I must abide in the rest or the enormity of the problem will overwhelm me. In the dream, my husband and I had a truck in which we went sightseeing. We parked it and left for a walk. When we came back, the truck was a wreck -- another car had hit it really badly, and it was ruined. My husband, Raul, and another man tried to fix it. I went to help. I stood there and said something like, “Jesus had fixed it”. When those words left my mouth, the truck was immediately transformed into being whole again. I was so on fire and praised God and started to witness boldly to everyone about what Jesus had just done. We then left and, as we went, the truck started to stall and I said, “Oh no, it's healed”, and immediately it got power again. That happened twice. Then we got on a freeway full of cars. We were on the outer lane and struggling up a very, very steep hill. We were driving with two tires on the road and two in a ditch. The car couldn't go up like that, so it flipped over about two times and landed away from the road. So we stopped to consider the hill. By sight, it looked almost impossible to climb. We tried to figure out another way, but could see no other way. I thought that it was going to take all my strength to do it, and still it would not be enough. End of dream. (What is impossible with men is possible with God. We must trust His promises not our works.) Mar.11:24 Therefore I say unto you, All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye received (Greek) them, and ye shall have them. Heb.4:2 For indeed we have had good tidings preached unto us, even as also they: but the word of hearing did not profit them, because it was not united by faith with them that heard. (3) For we who have believed do enter into that rest; even as he hath said, As I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. (9) There remaineth therefore a sabbath (Greek: Sabatismos -- a continual rest) rest for the people of God. (10) For he that is entered into his rest hath himself also rested from his works, as God did from his. (11) Let us therefore give diligence to enter into that rest, that no man fall after the same example of disobedience. Building the “Resting” Church  Eve Brast - 08/11/2012 (David's notes in red) | (Deb Horton's notes in green)  I dreamed I was driving east (faceing toward the coming of the Son) toward Dallas on a large highway with very sparse traffic on it. (The highway of holiness going to Dallas, which means “meadow dwelling”.) (A place of feeding with the flock.) It was dark but I could see a little light on the horizon in the east. (Near to the coming of the Lord in the Man-child on the morning of the seventh thousand year-day.) I was going to an eight-story hospital building that was under construction (the true Church of the called-out ones is being built), where my husband (representing Jesus) had instructed me to meet him. The building was oval-shaped and not square. (The building was eternal without beginning or end because of its shape and eight floors. (An “8” lying down is the sign for infinity or eternity and “8” is the number of Jesus. Since it's lying down, it could mean resting in Jesus. A hospital is a place for healing the sick, spiritually and physically, which the Church is supposed to be.)  I pulled into the parking garage and parked my old, gray (indicating mixture of good and evil, white and black), five-speed (grace received to get to this point) manual (not automatic, works by self), 1980 Toyota Corolla that had been my first car when I learned to drive. (Our first car represents our first ways of rest in the Lord. To park is a sign of coming into maturity through rest.) I went inside the building with my son's blue backpack containing surgical instruments and food my husband had asked me to bring to him. (Man's burdens and works we bear until we reach the seventh floor of rest and give them over to Jesus. Mat.11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.) I went into the ground floor lobby with a recently laid, highly polished wood floor (the human nature is under our feet to serve the spiritual man).   I waited at the only elevator (there's only one Way to God) to go up to the seventh floor (entering into the rest) (The first six floors represent the first six days of the different levels of man's works we do until we rest on the seventh spiritual day). I had to wait a bit because it was the only elevator. I was the only one waiting to go up. (The Bride will be the first to fully enter into the seventh-day rest.)  When the door opened, A black sister from UBM was the elevator attendant, but she was white and looked like me. (The white represents holiness.) She greeted me and began telling me how old the elevator was. (2000 years) She was an expert on this elevator. It was her assigned job in the building, and she knew everything about it. She told me that currently, the elevator only reaches the seventh floor, but when the construction is complete, it will go all the way up to the top, which is the eighth floor. (The eighth floor is Jesus and Heaven and new beginnings. When the building representing the Church is finished, we will go to the top, the eighth, heavenly floor.)  When I got off the elevator on the seventh floor, my husband passed by me wearing metal leg braces supported by a blue, padded waistband that girded his waist and metal crutches that braced around his forearms. (Our husband Jesus was strengthened by the Father to finish His pilgrimage as a type of the body.) (This reminds me of the command in Deuteronomy to bind the phylacteries, which are Scripture verses, on the forehead and hand, because the phylacteries are bound on the hand and are laced on from the forearm.) (David had a similar revelation where he was wearing leg braces. They strengthened his walk and helped him to stand.) (God's power is made perfect in our weakness.) He looked at me as he passed by with a knowing look (seeing eye to eye) and a smile, as if we shared a common understanding of something. (A common understanding of faith in the same promises brings people to the seventh floor of rest.) (Amo.3:3) Shall two walk together, except they have agreed?  Suddenly, I realized that I left my backpack on the elevator, or I thought I had, but it wasn't over my shoulder anymore. (We can't take our own provision or burdens to the seventh floor of the rest but we can give it all to Jesus there.) I became concerned (we will lose the rest if we think on our burdens) and turned around to push the button to go back down (A warning not to fall away from the rest).   While waiting for the elevator doors to open, I overheard an accountant from the hospital discussing a debt of $20 that they said I owed with another employee. (A warning that If we leave the rest of faith, we begin to bear the debt of sin again. The first mention of 20 in the Bible is Gen.6:3 And Jehovah said, My spirit shall not strive with man for ever, for that he also is flesh: yet shall his days be a hundred and twenty years.) They said they had tried to call my cell phone to give me this report, but I wouldn't answer because I knew it was not really my debt and that I wasn't required to pay it. (The accuser will always try to convince you that you still owe the debt that Christ already paid for you.) (If one leaves the rest, they will be tempted even more so.)  When the elevator doors finally opened, a horde of people out of nowhere rushed into the elevator, as if desperate to get out of the building. (They were in their flesh and leaving the rest.) I calmly walked in but there was barely enough room. When the doors shut, we were warned that the ride down was much scarier than the ride up because the elevator went down really fast, and it did (Because this represents the falling away. We have seen people lose all the gain of years in moments.). But it slowed down midway for safety precautions (this could represent those who are neither hot nor cold -- the fence-sitters in the middle) (also, God makes a way for His people to change their mind and Return unto thy rest, O my soul Psa.116:7) and then it sped back up until it reached the ground floor.  As I got off the elevator, the morning sunshine streamed through the lobby windows (Jesus in the Man-child is manifesting). A surgeon from the hospital who was going up said, “Isn't it exciting that the building construction will be completed in a week?!” (After the seven years of the 70th week of the tribulation, the Church will be complete, and I believe this week will start very soon.) I turned around and said, “Yeah”. But the importance of what he had just announced didn't register with me. I was concerned about finding the backpack because my husband needed me to bring it to the hospital (to give that burden to him).  I hoped I would find the backpack in my car in the parking garage, since it had not been left in the elevator. I ran out to the car and found it (the burden was in the car, representing immaturity) and brought it back into the lobby and pushed the elevator button again.   When the doors opened, my sons Noah and Elijah came out of the elevator and passed me as I went in. They were eight-foot-tall, grown men! (Their “8” size indicates they have grown up in Jesus.) They gave me the same knowing look of common understanding and smile that my husband had given me. (The faith that brings relief from our burdens and works.) They said, “Don't worry, Mom. We have everything under control”. (Jesus in the Man-child ministry beginning to reign [having given their burdens to God].) Then I woke up.  Why would we bear the burdens of the curse if we believe what Jesus said? Mar.11:23 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou taken up and cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that what he saith cometh to pass; he shall have it. 24 Therefore I say unto you, All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. Mat.18:18 Verily I say unto you, what things soever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and what things soever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 19 Again I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father who is in heaven.  When we pray and believe, we rest from all the curse. Gal.3:13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us; for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: 14 that upon the Gentiles might come the blessing of Abraham in Christ Jesus; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. Abraham was blessed in all things. Not entering the rest or keeping the spiritual Sabbath is because of unbelief. Heb.3:11 As I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest. 12 Take heed, brethren, lest haply there shall be in any one of you an evil heart of unbelief, in falling away from the living God: 13 but exhort one another day by day, so long as it is called To-day; lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin: 14 for we are become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our confidence firm unto the end:...  18 And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that were disobedient? 19 And we see that they were not able to enter in because of unbelief.

Messianic Apologetics editor John McKee discusses whether the counting of the omer is to take place by weekly Sabbaths or seven-day weeks. This is then followed by a review of important stories and issues from the past day or so, largely witnessed on social media.

Send us a textFor generations, Christians have wrestled with a puzzling timeline: How could Jesus fulfill His prophecy of spending "three days and three nights in the heart of the earth" when tradition places His crucifixion on Friday and resurrection early Sunday morning? This seeming contradiction dissolves when we uncover a critical detail.The key lies in understanding the Jewish festival calendar. During Passover week, there were actually TWO Sabbaths – the annual "high day" Sabbath that marked the beginning of Unleavened Bread, and the regular weekly Sabbath. Scripture specifically notes that Jesus was crucified on "the day of preparation" before a Sabbath that was "a high day" (John 19:31). This wasn't Friday preparing for the weekly Sabbath, but Wednesday preparing for Thursday's special feast Sabbath.This revelation completely transforms our understanding of Holy Week's timeline. Jesus shared the Passover meal Tuesday evening (which in Jewish reckoning began Wednesday), was betrayed, tried, and crucified all within that same day, then buried before the Feast of Unleaven Bread Sabbath approached. The tomb held His body through Thursday (the special Sabbath), Friday (a normal workday when the women purchased spices), and Saturday (the weekly Sabbath). When the women arrived before dawn on Sunday, the resurrection had already occurred – perfectly fulfilling the "three days and three nights" prophecy of Jonah.Beyond this fascinating timeline mystery, the podcast reminds us of the incredible promises awaiting believers – authority over nations, new names, white garments, and even sharing Christ's throne. Whatever challenges we face now pale in comparison to the glory awaiting those who remain faithful to Him.Support the show

In this episode of Prove All Things, Robert Onsando critiques the Seventh-day Adventist Church's foundational doctrines, focusing on Ellen G. White's elevated role and the controversial teaching of the 1844 investigative judgment. He challenges the church's interpretation of communion frequency, the meaning of “high Sabbaths,” and its justification of failed prophecies, arguing these ideas are unbiblical and misleading. Robert also shares about his ministry in Kenya, where he teaches biblical feasts and calendars despite resistance and calls for support in spreading the gospel.

Yeshua said He would be in the grave for three days and three nights (Matthew 12:40)—but from Friday to Sunday, the math doesn't work. So what does the Bible actually say?In Strange Math, we lay aside tradition and let Scripture speak. By examining the biblical calendar and the difference between weekly and high Sabbaths, this short teaching reveals the true timeline of Messiah's death, burial, and resurrection. It's not complicated—it's just biblical.Ready to count it out?

We have first the THEN of promise and threatening repeated several times. The children of Israel were not to make any graven images, nor to set up any images made by others, nor to bow to those already set up, but to keep clear of idolatry in every shape, and worship only their great invisible God, Jehovah, whose Sabbaths they were tokeep, and whose precepts they were to obey.

Supporta BLMP genom att bli en patron! Spana in de olika alternativen på www.patreon.com/blmetalpodcast Eller supporta genom swish: 070-8961174 B.L. och Heidenhammer har bjudit in Alex Bergdahl för att besnacka Black Sabbaths tolfte giv "Seventh Star" från 1986. Den forne Deep Purple-basisten och sångaren Glenn Hughes hamnar slutligen i den sättning som ska utgöra Black Sabbath under en högst begränsad tid. Hur vi hamnar där är en minst sagt rörig historia. Trevlig helg! I samarbete med Medborgarskolan.

9.16.24 -Jeff Fugate- Seasons, Sabbaths, & Steps by Clays Mill Baptist

The narratives about time and growing older that our culture hands us often fail to name and invite the kind of luminous gathering of life that we can become with age. What if we found a way to fully grieve the losses of aging, rather than fight against them, and in doing so we deepen into a kind of translucent generosity of heart and spirit in which we allow ourselves to give ourselves away to those around us and to life itself? And what if we could do that together, rather than alone? This week's conversation is hosted, as always, by Lizzie Winn and Justin Wise of Thirdspace. Join Our Weekly Mailing: www.turningtowards.life/subscribe Support Us: www.buymeacoffee.com/turningtowardslife Join Turning Towards Life Live: www.turningtowards.life/ttl-live-interest Turning Towards Life, a week-by-week conversation inviting us deeply into our lives, is a live 30 minute conversation hosted by Justin Wise and Lizzie Winn of Thirdspace.  Find us on FaceBook to watch live and join in the lively conversation on this episode. You can find videos of every episode, and more about the project on the Turning Towards Life website, and you can also watch and listen on Instagram, YouTube, and as a podcast on Apple, Google, Amazon Music and Spotify. Episode Overview 00:00 Introduction and Gratitude 03:11 Exploring Wendell Berry's Work 06:00 The Nature of Time and Aging 12:01 Grief and Acceptance 18:12 Generosity in the Face of Loss 23:57 Community and Intergenerational Wisdom Here's our source for this week: Sabbaths 1993 I No, no, there is no going back. Less and less you are that possibility you were. More and more you have become those lives and deaths that have belonged to you. You have become a sort of grave containing much that was and is no more in time, beloved then, now, and always. And so you have become a sort of tree standing over a grave. Now more than ever you can be generous toward each day that comes, young, to disappear forever, and yet remain unaging in the mind. Every day you have less reason not to give yourself away. by Wendell Berry Photo by Maria Krasnova on Unsplash

In this episode of The Reformed Brotherhood, Jesse and Tony explore Colossians 2:13-23, focusing on the sufficiency of Christ and the freedom believers have in Him. The conversation begins with a discussion on the legalistic practices that Paul warns against, such as strict food regulations, festivals, and other ceremonial laws, which are described as shadows pointing to the true substance—Jesus Christ. The hosts emphasize that Christ's work on the cross has fulfilled all these requirements, liberating believers from the constraints of legalism and empty religious rituals. The episode addresses the deeper theological implications of being “dead to the world with Christ.” This union with Christ means believers are no longer bound by man-made regulations or ascetic practices that offer no real value in battling sin or promoting true spiritual growth. Instead, believers are called to hold fast to Christ, the source of all spiritual nourishment and growth. The hosts also caution against the dangers of being disqualified by falling into legalistic or mystical practices, which disconnect believers from the sufficiency of Christ. Wrapping up, Jesse and Tony highlight the liberating power of the Gospel, stressing that true Christian freedom is found in living in accordance with God's moral law, not as a means of earning salvation, but as a joyful response to the grace and love of Christ. This episode is a call to reject legalism and embrace the freedom and sufficiency that comes through union with Christ. Key Points: The Shadows of the Old Testament Point to Christ: The Old Testament ceremonial laws, such as dietary restrictions, festivals, and Sabbaths, were shadows that anticipated Christ. With His coming, these shadows are fulfilled in the substance of Jesus. Union with Christ Brings Freedom: Being united with Christ means believers are no longer subject to legalistic or ascetic practices, as they are dead to the elemental spirits of the world and alive in Christ. The Dangers of Legalism and Empty Rituals: Legalism and man-made religious practices cannot bring about true spiritual growth or victory over sin. Instead, they risk disconnecting believers from the sufficiency of Christ. True Christian Freedom and Obedience: Freedom in Christ is not a license for self-indulgence but an invitation to live joyfully within God's moral law, empowered by His grace. Questions for Reflection: How does understanding Christ as the substance of the Old Testament shadows change the way you view the ceremonial laws? In what ways have you seen legalistic or ascetic practices fail to promote true spiritual growth in your life or in others? How can you hold fast to Christ as the source of spiritual nourishment in a world full of distractions and false teachings? What does true Christian freedom look like in your daily life, and how does it differ from a life constrained by legalism?

"You shall consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you; each of you shall return to your property, and each of you shall return to your family." — Leviticus 25:10Consider these provocative words by Walter Brueggeman from Sabbath as Resistance. “Sabbath is not only resistance; it is an alternative. Sabbath offers both the awareness and practice of the claim that we are on the receiving end of the gifts of God.... To be so situated is a staggering option because we are accustomed to initiating all things. I have come to believe that the fourth commandment on the Sabbath is the most difficult and urgent commandment in our society because it calls us to an intent and conduct that defy the fundamental demands of a commodity-driven society - one that thrives on control, entertainment, bread, and circuses, and requires 24/7 multitasking to achieve, accomplish, perform, and possess.” Pause with me for a moment and try on this reality. The joyous restoration of land to its original owners. Debts canceled—forever. Slaves released from bondage. Relationships healed. Even the land recovers its vitality with extended rest from sowing and reaping. Spiritual renewal and re-creation as the community shifts from striving and acquiring to pausing, noticing, receiving, forgiving, reconciling, celebrating, and resting.In The Year of Jubilee, biblical scholar John Bergsma invites readers to consider how God is calling His people to a collective, life-saving practice - one that preserves freedom, family, and the fullness of God in a fallen world that has lost its ability to rest and to heal.What lies behind Yahweh's profound directive and promise of Jubilee, first given to the people of Israel to reform them? How was it ultimately fulfilled in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, the Messianic King?Given to the people of God 3,500 years ago, this ancient rhythm feels like a long-lost key to life's riddle. How can we participate in this biblical pattern of stopping and settling in, of forgiveness and renewal?And what might we say to the curious—or to those who think we are out of our minds?Join us as we explore The Sabbath of Sabbaths, inviting you more intimately into our story and walking alongside you as you discern what God may be calling you into in yours.For the Kingdom, Morgan & Cherie

If God is a God of blessing – then what about all the suffering we go through? And anyway, if God does bless, does that just mean a new car and a bigger house?   Does God want to Bless Me? Perhaps you've heard people say that we're “Blessed to be a Blessing”. But man, it's so easy to get the wrong idea about what God really, truly means by that word “blessing”. I see so much misunderstanding about God and His heart and where He stands on blessing us. There seems to be a couple of extreme positions on this whole subject of God's blessing – two opposite ends of the spectrum, if you like. On the one end, it goes something like this. God wants to bless me, therefore, I should believe Him for the new Mercedes convertible, more money and a bigger house and a big diamond ring. In effect it kind of reduces God down to some sort of sugar daddy: it's all about me, I am at centre stage – I name it and I claim it. And you know something, lots of Christians believe that. Now the problem that I have with that end of the spectrum is that when I take that and I hold it in one hand and I hold the cross of Christ in the other – when I look at Jesus, this Jesus that gave up everything for me; this Jesus who was nailed to a cross, beaten and bruised and brutalised, not even with the clothes on His back – and I compare those two things, you know something, this end of the spectrum over here, jars with that, don't you think? And it leads to some of the worst excesses – the tele-evangelists pressuring people for money and flying around in their private jets. Is that where that should end up? I mean is that what God's blessing is all about? The other end of the spectrum is you have to be poor to serve God. Money is evil. In fact, we just had a phone call, just the other evening, in the middle of the night, someone responding to a program, saying, "money is evil". Well, no that's not what the Bible says. The Bible says, “The love of money is the root of all evil”, but money itself isn't evil. "People who are rich are evil." I was talking to a man in India recently. India by and large, is a country of extremes – there is the very rich and there's a large, large number of very, very poor people. And this man was being very critical of a Christian leader who just happened to have a nice house in a nice area. He believed that it was wrong for him to have money. Then I looked at this end of the spectrum – you have to be a pauper to serve God. And then I go to the Bible and I read about Abraham, who was God's chosen man; he was very wealthy. I read about King Solomon, he was very wealthy. Yet King Solomon was still God's anointed leader over Israel. He was full of God's wisdom. Do you see the problem? You go to either end of the spectrum and you take teaching about God's blessing to the extreme and you know, I think you end up with the wrong answer. God is a God of balance and when we look at our lives, what we see is that we go through times of blessing, where there's joy and everything seems to be going well and we all go through difficult times. You see the problem. At one end you can have people getting the extreme prosperity thing in their heads and we can end up thinking it's all about us. It plays right into the hands of the world; it's the me, me, me – the next plasma TV, the next car, the next big thing. If you don't have that, obviously you don't have enough faith. On the other hand, if you have this perception that you have to be poor to be a Christian, well if that were the case, who would ever fund the work of the Lord on this planet? God has always chosen to fund His work through His people. And then on top of the pure monitory thing, there's the reality of tragedy and pain and suffering. I mean some of these things are indiscriminate – earthquakes, tsunamis, a young person who loves God dies of cancer, in a car crash or there's divorce or there's retrenchment or there's all that stuff of life that we all experience some times. Are you with me? So what's God's plan? Does God want to bless me or not? Is it okay for me to ask for His blessing? Is it okay for me to expect His blessing, or is that presumptuous? This is an important question. It is in a sense where the ‘rubber' of faith hits the ‘road' of life. It's when it comes to faith in God being active, right in the midst of life's realities today, the things we all have to face. We get up in the morning, we pray, we look forward to the day … How do I pray, what do I give thanks for? That difficult situation that's going be confronting me at work today, can I ask God to help me with that? Is God in all of that? That's why we are doing this series "Blessed to be a Blessing". I'm a simple man. I open the Bible, I see what God's Word says on a subject and you know God is largely a God of balance. I love to be empowered with God's Word and hopefully as we share these next twenty, twenty five minutes together we will both be empowered by God's Word. The problem with teaching on blessing is that you just can't take one verse and say, "That's it! See, God is a God who blesses; therefore I can ask Him for the next big car". You end up with an extreme position. Just as if you say, "You can't have any money to serve Jesus. You have to sell everything you have, give it all away", because Jesus did say that to one young ruler. I'd like to look at God's perspective; the whole thing. Is God a God who blesses? Well, let's just start with what we mean by the word "bless"? It has a number of different meanings but the main connotation is God's divine favour – God intervening to make something better or to give us something that will bring us joy or happiness, financial blessing, spiritual blessing, physical blessing, healing, anything and everything. God's divine favour – His blessing becoming active in our lives. The question is, is God in the blessing business? The word "bless" or "blesses" or "blessed" or "blessing", appears three hundred and fifty eight times in the Bible. The first time you see it is in the first chapter of the Bible, Genesis chapter 1, verse 22. Let's go there and have a bit of a look at what God's up to. Genesis chapter 1 is the account of God's creation. He creates the light out of darkness and the heavens and the earth and the oceans and the dry land and the plants. And the first time He creates a living creature, this is what He says: So God created the creatures of the sea and every living and moving thing with which the water teems. According to all their kinds and every winged bird according to its kind and God saw that is was good and God ... Listen to this: ... and God blessed them and said, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas and let the birds increase on the earth'. The second time that the concept of ‘blessing' happens in the Bible is in that same chapter, a few verses on, verse 26: Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image and in our likeness and let them rule over the fish of the sea, and the birds of the air, over the livestock over all the earth and over all the creatures that move along the ground.' So God created man in His image, in the image of God He created him, male and female, He created them. God blessed them and said to them” – see, there it is again – “God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth and subdue it and rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over every living creature that moves on the ground.' And then God said, ‘I give you every seed bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it, they will be yours for food and all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground; everything that has breath of life in it, I give every green plant for food.' And it was so. That's creation! Let me ask you something – do you think God's in the business of blessing us?   If God Blesses why do we Suffer? So we've looked at God's own account of His creation, Genesis chapter 1. The very first living creatures He creates, He blesses them. He says, "Go and multiply, increase in number and fill the earth." And He creates humanity, man and woman, and He hands the whole of that creation over to them. What an enormous blessing! You and I are joint owners in creation! Why? Because God created us in His own image and then He handed the whole thing over to us. Just stop and think about that for a minute. What a huge blessing! Right at the point of creation, God was in the blessing business. That's profound! And His plan for us was to live in relationship with Him – Adam and Eve. Genesis, chapter 2, verse 15: The Lord God took the man and put him is the Garden of Eden to till it and to keep it. A perfect plan of blessing and as you probably know, Adam and Eve rebelled. They did the one thing that God said, ‘don't do' and there were consequences. Rebellion against God always has consequences. To the woman He said, “I will greatly increase your pains in child bearing, with pain you will give birth. Your desire will be for your husband and he will rule over you.” To Adam He said, “Because you listened to your wife and you ate from the tree about which I commanded you ‘you must not eat', cursed is the ground because of you. Through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you and you'll eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow, you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken – for dust you are and to dust you will return.” Enter pain and suffering because humanity rebelled against God. And for the rest of the history of humanity, there are consequences. Now you might say to me, “Berni that is so insensitive. If there's a still born baby, if tens of thousands are killed in a tsunami, if some young teenager is raped and murdered, how can you say that?” Here it is, God made us in His image but when who He is doesn't suit us, we try and remake Him into our image. God is a God of blessing – that was His plan, that's why He put Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. But they rebelled and when that happens there is an interruption of blessing, there's an interruption in the relationship with Him. Have a look at it. In Leviticus chapter 26 is a perfect summary of where God stands on this. It's a summary of the old covenant; the relationship between God and Israel. And He lays out the relationship in this chapter. Let's go there and begin at verse 1. He says: Don't make idols or set up a sacred stone for yourselves, don't place a carved stone in your land to bow down to it because I am the Lord your God. If you observe my Sabbaths and have reverence for my sanctuary, I am the Lord. If you follow my decrees and are careful to obey my commandments, I will send rain in its season and the ground will yield its crops and the trees of the field will be full of fruit and your threshing will continue until grape harvest and grape harvest will continue until planting and you will eat all the food you want and live in safety in your land. I will grant you peace in the land and you will lie down and no one will make you afraid of them. I will remove savage beasts from the land and the sword will not pass through the country. You will pursue your enemies and they will fall by the sword before you. Five of you will chase a hundred and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand and your enemies will fall by the sword before you. I will look on you with favour and make you fruitful and increase your numbers and I will keep my covenant with you. You will still be eating last years harvest when you have to make room for the new one. I'll put my dwelling place among you and I won't abhor you and I walk among you and be your God and you will be my people. I'm the Lord God, who brought you out of Egypt so that you would no longer be slaves to the Egyptians. I broke the bars of your yolk and enabled you to walk with your heads high. But, but if your won't listen to me and carry out all these commandments and if you reject me and my decrees and you abhor my laws and fail to carry out those commandments and so violate this covenant, then I will do this - I will bring upon you sudden terror, wasting disease and fever will destroy your sight and drain away your life. You will plant seed in vain because your enemies will eat it. I will set my face against you so that you will be defeated by your enemies, those who hate you will rule over you and you will flee, even when there is no one pursuing you. See, God first and foremost is a God of blessing. He wants to be in relationship with His people and He is God – He gets to say this is how it is. And when Israel turned against Him, there were consequences. And you and I both have rebelled against God; we both have turned our backs on God at some point in our lives. I was talking to a man just the other day. He's my own age, he's a good friend of mine and he was talking about his three adult sons. This man had a dream to bless his sons. He's an entrepreneur. He's good at making money. He worked as a team with his sons; he wanted to build a business empire and to see them blessed and their children blessed. But one by one, they rejected him and his plans – they didn't honour their father. They went their own way; they turned their backs on him. It sounds like a parable, doesn't it? This is a true story – a friend of mine. And this is what my friend said to me, he said, “Berni, I really wanted to bless them, I wanted to give to them but now that they have rejected that, in their self-centered, selfish ways, I can't bless them.” and it's the greatest sadness of his life. That man is made in the image of God. What he said about his heart to bless his sons is exactly, exactly where God is coming from. God is a God of blessing, but when we reject Him, when humanity rejected Him, when you and I as individuals rejected Him, it interrupts the relationship. And it's in that relationship that we are blessed – that's God's plan. So we've all done that. Can we still go to God and ask Him to bless us?   Can I ask for God's Blessing? I hope that as we have looked into God's Word so far on the program, it's had a profound impact on you. God's heart is to bless us – it's in His very nature. That's what creation was all about. A huge abundant, indescribable blessing from Him to us. But when we reject Him, when we try to reconstruct God in our own image rather than accepting Him for who He is, we interrupt that blessing. It's as simple as that. Now we have all done that, so can we still ask God for His blessing, for His favour, for His grace? Absolutely, because God is a God of forgiveness. I'd like to take you to a place, a prayer by a man called Jabez. Someone wrote a book about this a few years ago and it became very prominent, but this prayer is in the Old Testament. If you have a Bible, grab it. We are going to First Chronicles, chapter 4, verses 9 and 10. It‘s in the middle of nine chapters of genealogy, you know, so and so begat so and so who begat so and so who begat so and so - nine chapters - riveting! Smack bang in the middle of that God stops and tells us the story of this Jabez. Obviously He thought it was important enough to break this riveting flow of the genealogies. Good stuff, thank you Jesus. Here's the prayer of Jabez: Jabez was honoured more than his brothers and his mother named his Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him in pain.” Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, saying, “O God, that you would bless me indeed and enlarge my territory and that your hand might be with me and that you might keep me from hurt and from harm.” And God granted his request. Jabez gets called "You're a pain" by his mother. Imagine if your mother or my mother named us that. Not a great start in life is it? Mustn't have been for Jabez because Jabez cried out to God. He cried out to Him in desperation, out of his pain, out of his imperfect life. We don't know much more about him but what we do know is that everybody has sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, and he rejected God in his life at some point, just the way that you and I have. And in his desperation he calls out to God. You might say, "Berni, how do you know that Jabez rebelled?” Let me ask you, if you're a parent, what's the first or the second or the third word that every child learns? "No!" Isn't it? And God's Word clearly teaches that we all have turned our backs on Him. So Jabez is a fallen man just like you and I are fallen human beings. What does Jabez ask God? “God, that you would bless me indeed.” Not just any sort of blessing an ‘indeed' blessing; not just an ordinary blessing of God, “I really, really, God, want you to bless me.” Secondly he asks God to enlarge his territory. In the Old Testament, land was very important, in terms of blessing. I mean, land is somewhere we live. If you have a house in the suburbs, you might take that for granted. If you happen to live in a Liberian refugee camp in Sierra Leon, where you are listening to this program, you won't be taking land for granted. Jabez asks God to enlarge his territory. Thirdly that God's hand might be with him. What a great blessing that is! And fourthly, that God would keep him from hurt and harm. And listen to what it says, (Jabez is a person just like you and me) listen to what it says next. It says, “And God granted his request.” This man put his faith in God and he asked God for a blessing. Once I discovered this prayer, I started praying it regularly, with my own twist. I said, “God, that you would bless me indeed today. I want to see your presence; I want you to be with me. God, that you would increase my borders and my territory. That more and more people would listen to these programs.” You know, I started praying that two years ago when these programs were being listened to by a few people on a few stations and now they are listened to by hundreds of thousands, even millions of people in over eighty countries around the world. God answers those prayers. “God that you would send your hand with me that doors would open for the work that we do and that you would keep me from evil that I wouldn't cause any pain.” It is just the Lord laid on my heart. The point is we can ask God for blessing. God is a God of great blessing and blessing happens in relationship with Him. When we reject God – listen to me – when we reject God it breaks the blessing. Just like that friend of mine that I was talking about with his sons. God wants to bless you … God wants to bless me and there's a purpose; there's a reason for His blessing. It's not just for us but as we will see over the next few weeks on the program, God blesses us so that we can be a blessing to others. But right from the beginning, right from the first creature that He created on this earth, He wanted to bless them. And when he created humanity, He wanted to bless them. And when He had a relationship with His people, Israel, He wanted to bless them. And we all turned our backs on Him and so God then gave us the greatest blessing that there could possibly be – He opened the door to a relationship with Him through the death of His Son, Jesus Christ, on the cross. God is a God of blessing. Yes, we go through ups and downs in our lives, and we're going to have a look at some of those things over the next few weeks, but when I open the Bible I see a God who wants to engage, not just with humanity as a whole, but with little people like you and me and His heart is to bless us.

When someone in our house felt overworked or unfairly overloaded, sometimes you'd hear them say, kiddingly I think, "Hey, I thought Lincoln freed the slaves!" Well, actually, I think the members of our family might have been right about all of us. We do need an update on that Emancipation Proclamation. In fact, you might be surprised who the slaves are today, and the slave master. Spiritually, that is. The slaves are nice people, successful people - maybe someone like you. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The 'Busy' Club." Now, our word for today from the Word of God is found in Deuteronomy 5. I'm going to read from verse 12. Now, this is the second time around to a new generation of Jews that the Ten Commandments are given. In the original Ten Commandments it said that you are to keep the Sabbath Day holy - a day of rest. But notice there is a new addition this time - I'll read it to you. "Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy as the Lord your God has commanded you." Now, that's pretty much the same as the first time around in Exodus 20. "Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your manservant, nor your maidservant..." Now, this sort of closes up the loophole, saying, "Okay, I won't work, I'll just get the other guys to do it." It goes on to say, "no, nor your ox, your donkey or any of your animals." Now, just in case you had a visitor in the house and you were going to have him mow the lawn for you, it says, "not the alien within your gates, so that your manservant and maidservant may rest as you do. Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the Lord God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore, the Lord your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day." Now, get this command here. He talks about our working life, he acknowledges that we are going to be working much or most of the time, but then He says, "It is my commandment that you get regular rest and regular worship during that time. Then He goes back to the subject of slavery. He says, "There was a time, my people, when you had no choice about working all the time. You were slaves then. There was a time when you had to work without rest, but now you can choose, and I want you to choose regularly, on a weekly basis, to stop and rest and stop all the busyness around you and bring it to a halt. Now He's saying, "Don't lose your priorities now that you can choose to rest." You know, in our world today we are like all accelerator and no brakes. We're living lives without Sabbaths. They're supposed to be part of the created order of God. Think about your own life - the rat race, the gerbil wheel you run on. Your times off maybe are getting farther apart, they're shorter. Your family is beginning to feel your absence because you've been running to work so much. You've piled one commitment on top of another, so you can't ever stop. And you've got so many competing commitments, there's just no time to rest. There's little time left just to crash, to play, to laugh, to think, to meet your Lord. You're not doing your work - you are your work. Stand back, would you? There's a better way to live with regular rest as ordained by Almighty God. Otherwise, the implication is, you're a slave. You're a slave to your work. Don't live in violation of God's command to rest. The alternative is slavery. And remember, Jesus freed the slaves.

Supporta BLMP genom att bli en patron! Spana in de olika alternativen på www.patreon.com/blmetalpodcast Eller supporta genom swish: 070-8961174 B.L. och Heidenhammer har bjudit in Patrik Sporrong och Andreas "Drette" Axelsson för att besnacka Black Sabbaths elfte giv "Born Again" från 1983. Ian Gillan tar över stafettpinnen/mikrofonen, något som inte låter så bra på pappret, men hur låter det på skiva? Och hur är det egentligen med Bill Ward? Den som lyss' får hör'! Trevlig helg! I samarbete med Medborgarskolan.

Moses continues to receive instructions from the Lord, and today's episode begins with instructions for the priests in eating their portion of the sacrifices to the Lord. Recall that the Levites will not be given large portions of land when they enter the Promised Land; instead, the Lord will be their portion. For their service in the tabernacle, they will receive portions of food from the offerings given to the Lord, and thereby be sustained. Or reading continues by considering which sacrifices are acceptable, which days are to be set aside for Sabbaths, and which days are to be set aside for worship, celebration, and remembrance.Leviticus 22 - 1:01 . Leviticus 23 - 7:57 . Psalm 47 - 16:38 .  :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible.facebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

Ho 2:1–15.1 “Say to your brother, My People, and to your sister, Shown Mercy, 2  ‘Contend against your mother, contend! Because she is not my wife, and I am not her husband. And I will remove her fornication from my face, and her adultery from the middle of her breasts, 3  in order that I might strip her naked and restore her just as on the day of her birth. And I will make her a wilderness, and I will appoint her like dry land, and I will kill her with thirst. 4  And I will not show mercy to her children, because they are children of fornication. 5  Because their mother committed fornication; she who bore them was disgracing herself. Because she said, “I will go after my lovers, who are giving me my bread and my water and my clothes and my linens and my olive oil and all things, as many as belong to me.” 6  On account of this, look, I will hedge her way with thorns, and I will wall up roads, and she will not find her path. 7  And she will closely pursue her lovers and not take hold of them. And she will seek them and not find them. And she will say, “I will go and return to my former husband, because it was well with me then rather than now.” 8  And she did not know that I gave her the grain and the wine and the olive oil, and I multiplied money for her, but she made silver and gold for Baal. 9  Because of this, I will return and gather in my grain at its time and my wine in its season, and I will remove my clothes and my linens, so that she might not cover her shame. 10  And now, I will uncover her impurity before her lovers, and no one will ever deliver her from out of my hand. 11  And I will turn away all her festivities, her holidays and her new moons and her Sabbaths and all her holy days. 12  And I will destroy her vineyard and her fig trees, about which she said, “These are my wages, which my lovers have given me.” And I will make them into a witness, and the wild beasts of the field and the birds of the heavens and the reptiles of the earth will devour them. 13  And I will take vengeance upon her for the days of the Baals, on which she used to sacrifice to them, and put on her earrings and her necklaces, and go after her lovers, but forgot me,' says the Lord. 14  ‘Because of this, behold, I will mislead her, and I will make her like a wilderness, and I will speak to her heart. 15  And I will give her her plots of land from that place and the valley of Achor, to open her understanding. And she will be made low there like in the days of her childhood, and like in the days of her ascent out of the land of Egypt.' ” Rick Brannan, Ken M. Penner et al., The Lexham English Septuagint, Second Edition (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2020), Ho 2:1–15.

Moses continues to receive instructions from the Lord, and today's episode begins with instructions on keeping the sacrifices pure and acceptable before the Lord. Consider that Lord does not want Israel to present anything that is second best or impure in anyway, thereby communicating indifference or irreverence for God in His perfection. We'll also consider days set aside for celebration include Sabbaths and feasts, the nature of  punishment for violent crimes, the instructions for the bread of the presence, and the steps for executing the death penalty in a case of blaspheming against the Lord.Leviticus 22 – 1:07 . Leviticus 23 – 7:25 . Leviticus 24 – 15:44 . Proverbs 19 – 19:19 .  :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by Bobby Brown, Katelyn Pridgen, Eric Williamson & the Christian Standard Biblefacebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

Leviticus 19, often referred to as part of the “Holiness Code,” is a significant chapter in the that outlines a comprehensive set of laws and ethical guidelines for the Israelites. These directives emphasize the pursuit of holiness in daily life, reflecting the character of God. Historical Context: Leviticus is the third book of the Torah and is traditionally attributed to Moses. It serves as a manual for the Israelites, detailing laws and rituals to maintain purity and holiness. Chapter 19 is situated within the “Holiness Code” (Leviticus 17–26), a section that scholars believe was compiled to guide the Israelites in living distinctively from surrounding nations. This code was likely formulated during the Israelites' wilderness period, approximately 1490 B.C., as they journeyed from Egypt to the Promised Land.   Key Themes and Commandments: 1.Call to Holiness - The chapter begins with God's directive: “You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy.” This establishes the foundation for the ensuing commandments, highlighting the expectation for the Israelites to emulate God's holiness in their conduct.  2.Respect for Parents and Sabbath Observance - The Israelites are instructed to revere their parents and observe the Sabbaths, underscoring the importance of family structure and dedicated time for worship. 3.Prohibition of Idolatry: The text warns against turning to idols or creating molten gods, reinforcing monotheistic worship. 4.Laws of Charity: Farmers are commanded not to reap the very edges of their fields or gather every grape from their vineyards, leaving some for the poor and the foreigner. This practice ensured provision for the marginalized in society.  5.Ethical Interpersonal Conduct: The chapter addresses various aspects of social justice, including prohibitions against stealing, lying, and deceiving one another. It also emphasizes fair treatment of workers, the disabled, and the elderly. 6.Justice in Judgment: Judges are admonished to avoid partiality, ensuring that both the poor and the great receive fair treatment. 7.Prohibition of Hatred and Vengeance: The text advises against harboring hatred or seeking revenge, culminating in the commandment to “love your neighbor as yourself,” a principle that has resonated through centuries as the “Golden Rule.”  8.Prohibition of Mixed Practices: The Israelites are instructed not to breed different kinds of animals, sow fields with mixed seeds, or wear garments made of mixed fabrics. These laws symbolized the importance of purity and separation from pagan practices. 9.Respect for Life and Property: The chapter includes laws against eating blood, practicing divination, and tattooing, aiming to distinguish the Israelites from neighboring cultures.  10.Treatment of Foreigners: The Israelites are reminded to treat foreigners residing among them as native-born, loving them as themselves, recalling their own experience as foreigners in Egypt. Key Words and Phrases - Holy/Holiness: Central to the chapter, emphasizing the distinctiveness and purity expected of the Israelites. Neighbour: Refers to fellow community members, highlighting the importance of social ethics. Idols: Denotes false gods, against which the Israelites are repeatedly warned. Sabbath: The day of rest, symbolizing covenantal relationship with God. Stranger/Foreigner: Individuals not native to Israel, whom the Israelites are commanded to treat with compassion. Significance: Leviticus 19 serves as a comprehensive guide for ethical and holy living, intertwining ritual purity with moral conduct. It reflects a holistic approach to spirituality, where one's relationship with God is intrinsically linked to their treatment of others. The chapter's emphasis on justice, compassion, and community responsibility has influenced Judeo-Christian ethics and continues to be a foundational text for discussions on morality and societal norms. By adhering to these commandments, the Israelites were to embody a society that mirrored divine holiness, setting them apart as a model community devoted to justice, mercy, and faithful worship.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sendme-radio--732966/support.

Is your plate more than full? When you look at your schedule, does it cause dread and overwhelm without any openings for things that truly refresh you? How often do you have a day of rest? It sounds like an impossible luxury, right? What if I told you that our Creator designed us to operate best by observing a weekly Sabbath AND it is possible!...If we aren't intentional about setting time aside to reflect, rest, and celebrate, it will begin to drain our spirit, soul, and body. God knows what it takes to not only exist in this world but to thrive. Listen in today as Tiffany Jo Baker discusses her journey from a hustling go-getter to one who observes a weekly Sabbath.Listen in for: What the true definition of Sabbath is Why it can be uncomfortable for some of us to take a day of rest What constant activity without rest can do to your spirit, soul, and body How not to be legalistic about a day of rest Favorite Quotes:“God instituted rhythms, seasons, and Sabbaths because He knows what our spirit, soul, and bodies need.” - Tiffany Jo Baker“A Sabbath is a time of rest, reflection, and celebration.” - Tiffany Jo Baker“The way I used to strive in perfectionism and performancism, more and more started draining my spirit, soul, and body.” - Tiffany Jo BakerFavorite Scripture:“By the seventh day God had finished the work He had been doing; so on the seventh day He rested from all His work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it He rested from all the work of creating that He had done.” - Genesis 2:2-3*If you're looking for perfectly polished people or podcasts, this isn't for you. We're real people, with real good information, and a really great God.*Want timely words, resources and episodes delivered right to your inbox to help you fuel and fulfill your faith journey? Simply subscribe today at https://www.tiffanyjobaker.com/subscribe (don't worry, you won't get spam or excessive emails)Don't miss the next My Full Life + Faith Leaps Podcast episode as we continue to help you GET FREE, LIVE FULL & THANK GOD! You can watch My Full Life + Faith Leaps Podcast on YouTube and https://www.tiffanyjobaker.com/myfulllife-and-faithleaps or listen in on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast player. Subscribe to never miss an episode, leave a quick review and share with a friend! Ratings and reviews are like high-fives and “go-girl's” on podcast players. Helping you refresh and refocus so you can do all the things you are called and created to do, my 31 Day Devotional “Soul-Care for Go-Getters” is available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and my website shop here. (https://www.tiffanyjobaker.com/go-getters-devo)As a 3x Surrogate, Speaker, Soul-Care and Success Coach and Holy Spirit-led Strategist, I uplift the soul and success of women like you who are walking out your WHY, so you can birth your God-given dreams at home, online, and in the real world. Find me, @TiffanyJoBaker, on Instagram , Facebook and https://www.tiffanyjobaker.com. I would love to connect with you there!

Exodus 23 has three chapter directions - verses 1-9 are about honest dealings between Israelites and with strangers (the reason is stated in verse 9 to remember your powerless position when the Almighty became your protector). Verses 10-19 laws about the Sabbaths and the major Festivals; and two sundry laws about principles of living. Verses 20-33 the conquest of the Promised Land is guaranteed and some vital instructions about Israel's behaviour once they have taken the Land. The theme which ties this chapter together is the love and care of their Father for His children. This must be seen in their actions honouring Him and showing compassion in dealing with other people. Returning to the start of the chapter tells us that malicious tale bearers are not to be tolerated. Justice must equally apply to all, rich or poor. The care of property was essential among all Israelites. God will hold His people accountable to ensure these standards are applied throughout His kingdom. They must never take a bribe. The LORD had cared for them when no one else had. Verses 10-11 tell us agricultural laws which ensured that the land observed Sabbath principles, which benefited everyone. Verse 12 says that the Israelites were to keep a weekly Sabbath. Verse 13 forbids idolatry. Verses 14-17 speak of the observance of the three major Festivals - first the Passover, then the Feast of Weeks: called Pentecost and thirdly Tabernacles. These feasts, or convocations occurred at their set, ie appointed times. Verse 18 tells of matters relating to sacrifices (no leaven; ie corruption was not allowed to be present with the offering). Verse 19 is a curious one here - it speaks of the sensitiveness relating to what was to be eaten. This implied the need to preserve life; that it might be allowed to continue (since the life of human and animal all belong to God). In the next section the Almighty promises His people angelic protection during their journey to the Promised Land. The Israelites must not take this care for granted, but need to be obedient to all that their Creator has commanded. When Israel entered the Land they must not have anything to do with those nations that God had commanded to be utterly destroyed. Those nations were to be totally removed . The LORD would do it gradually so that the wild beasts, which shared the Land, would not take over. In verse 28 the Almighty promised to send hornets into the Land before their entry - this may be a reference to the Pharaoh Amenhotep the third (known as "the hornet"), who made many raids on Canaan at this time. The boundaries of the Land are given and verse 31 - these are the same boundaries as those promised to Abraham. Failure to follow God's instructions would result in Israel's destruction.cont...

Why We Shouldn't Use ‘Let No One Judge You' on Feasts and Sabbaths Colossians 2:16 is often quoted in defense of ignoring the Biblical feast days and sabbaths - assuming that Paul says it doesn't matter whether a Christian obeys God in these commandments. In this video, David Wilber and PD Vander Westhuizen breaks down the Biblical and ancient context of this letter. The truth will set you free! Support Rise on Fire Ministries by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/rise-on-fireRead transcript

Following the Qumran biblical Zadokite Priests and the calendar system they inherited is an essential function of what it means for us to Hear and Do the Torah. Through their teachings, left to us through the Dead Sea Scrolls, we can know precisely WHEN to observe the festivals of the Bible and the biblical observances that are controlled and mapped to specific days and months of the year, times and seasons that cannot and must not be changed. Everything about the inherited Zadokite priestly calendar dates and times as they relate to the festivals and the setting of the weekly Sabbath is accurately plotted based on the yearly arrival of what is called New Year's Day; that is, Month 1 and Day 1 of the royal calendar of Heaven, hereinafter called, the Zadokite Calendar, which by the way, is different from what is known to be the “360-day Enoch Calendar,” the 354-day Lunar Calendar, or the 365 ¼ day Solar Calendar. New Year's Day, on the Zadokite Calendar, is based on establishing Day 1 and Month 1 as with any other calendar of the world's material cultures. Nonetheless, believers in Yeshua, the Messiah, and the biblical texts that He taught and lived by all are hinged on asking, WHEN IS NEW YEARS DAY? If we get this wrong, then everything else downstream is directly affected. Based on the testimony of Exodus chapter 12:2, among many places, it is actually New Year's Day, according to the Bible. So, to correctly determine New Year's Day in the Bible, we must come to know WHEN to proclaim this very special day in any given year. This is because all the yearly festivals and the weekly Sabbaths written about in the Bible are strictly mapped to the events of Day 4 from the Genesis Creation story. This is according to the testimony of the Zadokite Priests of the Qumran, as they wrote about all this in their Calendrical Documents of what is called the Dead Sea Scrolls. Let's get into it and find out how to determine when to define the all-important New Year's Day that is, Day 1 and Month 1, in any given year. See www.gospelworthdyingfor.com and DOWNLOAD their free 2025/26 Zadokite 12-month calendar.

Sign-up for my free 20-day devotional, The Word Before Work Foundations, at http://TWBWFoundations.com--Series: Christmas Vocations Part IIIDevotional: 3 of 4This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham…Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Messiah. (Matthew 1:1,17)Matthew has many vocations in the gospels. But in the first chapter of his gospel, we see him playing the role of a genealogist who takes his readers all the way back to Abraham to trace Jesus's family tree, so that we can be confident he is the Messiah. I'd encourage you to read Matthew's genealogical work in full in Matthew 1:1-17. But there are two profound insights we can glean just from the excerpt I shared above. First, God is always faithful, but he is rarely fast—at least by human standards. The Jewish people had been waiting thousands of years for God's promised Messiah. Some had surely given up hope. But Matthew goes through painstaking genealogical detail to show God's faithfulness over time.Commenting on today's passage, pastor Tim Keller once said this: “[God] may seem to be working very slowly or even to be forgetting his promises, but when his promises come true (and they will come true), they always burst the banks of what you imagined.”What promise does God appear to be slow to keeping in your work? Maybe you're still waiting for God's promise of “wisdom” (James 1:5), “peace…which transcends all understanding” (Philippians 4:7), or “good” to come from your layoff (Romans 8:28-29). Whatever it is, Christmas reminds you that God will always keep his promises, even if it takes far longer than you'd like.Here's the second insight I want you to glean from today's passage: Jesus is the “seventh seven” that brings about ultimate rest in your work. Matthew highlights six groups of seven generations from Abraham to Jesus, marking Christ as the beginning of the “seventh seven.” This echoes Leviticus 25, where the seventh seven—a jubilee year—freed slaves, forgave debts, and provided rest for all.As Keller explains, “The seventh seven, the Sabbath of Sabbaths, was a foretaste of the final rest that all will have when God renews the earth. Matthew is telling us that [true] rest will come to us only through Jesus Christ….In Jesus you stop having to prove yourself because you know it doesn't really matter in the end whether you are a failure or a king. All you need is God's grace, and you can have it, in spite of your failures.”Maybe you would call 2024 a huge “success.” Or maybe it was a massive “failure” by the world's standards. Ultimately, it doesn't really matter. In victory or defeat, you can say “it is well with my soul” because the seventh seven has come to set you free from sin and death and to adopt you into the family of God. Rest in his love this week!