Are we keeping the Sabbath day Holy???

Perhaps the best verse to satisfy the case that we are no longer required to keep the sabbath in the same manner of the Israelites is found in Colossians 2:16:

"Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ."  

Furthermore, I think we should be careful about taking just parts of the law and elevating them above the others, as written in James 2:10:  

"For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it." 

Which is why it's surprising that someone will say we must keep the sabbath, and yet ignore some of it's requirements such as the duty to put someone to death if they decide to do any work on that day:  

"For six days, work is to be done, but the seventh day shall be your holy day, a Sabbath of rest to the LORD. Whoever does any work on it must be put to death." [Ex 35:2] 

 

So if you insist on keeping the Sabbath you cannot just keep one part which says it's a day of rest and throw away the rest of the requirement. You will still have broken the Sabbath if you do not carry out all of it's rules and regulations. Nevertheless, because of Colossians 2:16 we see that the observance of a Sabbath day has been done away with along with the restrictions to eat certain foods that God once called unclean.  

"Do not call anything impure that God has made clean." [Acts 10:15]  

Are we then free of all law keeping and of obeying God's requirements in the Old Testament? Nope, but rather we fulfill them in Christ who is Lord of the Sabbath and desires us to offer our "bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship."  

But what did Christ say concerning this matter?

"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

Many in this city

"One night the Lod spoke to Paul in a vision and told him, "Don't be afraid! Speak out! Don't be silent! For I am with you, and no one will attack and harm you, for many people in this city belong to me." [Acts 18:8]

Just a thought, but would your willingness to share the gospel change if God told you that "many people in this city belong to me?" Meaning, they're people very close to you that are lost this very moment whom God has chosen, but since they have yet to hear the gospel, to repent, and to believe in Jesus Christ, they are still living under Satan's rulership, oppressed by sin and all the guilt that comes along with it. God chooses people in the most unlikely places. Corinth was definitely one during Paul's day, but what about your city, or even work? God's work of redemption will continue until Christ returns, so let us "go and make disciples of all nations," because "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few."

*[Matt 28, Matt 9]

Praise Him!!! [By Sherana Harris]

Praise flows from our friendship with God. People who praise God on a regular basis do so because they have found the Lord to be altogether lovely and can't stop thinking of Him and talking about Him. Praise is a conscious choice. Praise is an act of your own will. When you offer God true praise, you make a conscious decision to commend, approve and glorify Him. Praise therefore, is not based on your emotions or feelings.

Praise is a willing sacrifice. Praise becomes a sacrifice when you offer your praise to God just because He deserves and asks you to do it. You may not feel like praising Him, and in truth it may be quite difficult for you to look beyond the dificulties or problems in your life. Yet when you choose to open your lips in glory to God and speak forth your adoration, gratitude and thanksgiving to God, not only do you feel better but you please Him.

What did Job do? In all that he had been through he worshipped God. And praise is an expression of Faith wothout works is dead (James 2:17). God sees your faith (invisible) but man sees your works (visible).  Therefore, praise that is in the heart but not expressed is dead. Faith is the highest praise, and praise is the highest form of faith.

meters and miles [By Tommie McAfee]

How fast should I run? How long is the race? Should I hold back zeal for the things of God in fear that I will eventually tire, lose interest, fall away, and make it all seem like a "religious phase"?

We assume that we have a set amount of years ahead of us until it's time to be serious about prayer, reading scripture, and loving our neighbor as ourselves and God with all of our heart, mind, and soul. "...yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring."* Which says to me that it is silly/boastful to try and pace my own spiritual growth when I have no idea how long I'll run this race before encountering the finish line. Some have been chosen to run marathons, and others are taken away after a single lap. Not to suggest that we frantically sprint through life, aimlessly directing our passions at every person and ministry that commands our attention, for "It is not good to have zeal without knowledge, nor to be hasty and miss the way,"* but rather that we trust God to pace us, and to pray as David concerning this matter, "Show me, O Lord, my life's end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life."* And in this way to effectively "run in such a way as to get the prize,"* no matter how long the distance.

Perhaps the question isn't, "How fast should I run?" but rather, "what is it that God wants me to do?" Then, instead of worrying that I'm trying to sprint a marathon, I can trust that God will sustain me to carry out whatever His will is for my life.

"And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." 
[James 4:13-16, Prov19:2, Ps 39:4, Phil 1:6]