| Author | Message | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 12192 Registered: 12-2003  |
Richard and I are prepping for our FAF Bible study tonight, and I got to thinking about the question we've asked periodically over the years: what do you miss about the Sabbath? Well, it's Friday afternoon here in So Cal, and today the sun is shining in a brilliant blue sky behind our leafless trees, and it's 70 degrees. I was outside studying our passage for tonight, and I realized there was a ladder-backed woodpecker that was visible in the fruitless mulberry tree (because there are no leaves-ha!), and mockingbirds and white-crowned sparrows, and I realized that God has blessed us with so much more peace and gratitude than I ever had when Friday afternoon was a rush to complete the vacuuming, floor-washing, and cooking before sundown! So I want to ask, as this winter Friday nears sundown, what do you enjoy that God gives you that you did not have when you were still under the demands of Sabbath? I can absolutely state that I experience the presence of the Lord Jesus 24/7. He has relieved my existential anxiety; even when I don't know what the future holds and when I face struggles for which there's no discernible solution, I know He does not leave me. I know He is in my future and that He holds me. And Fridays are highlight days now instead of deadline-days. Yes, we still have deadlines; in fact, Friday is a rushed day—but for completely different reasons. On Fridays we enjoy really significant Bible study and fellowship with our FAF Bible study group, and God is faithful to teach us Himself by His Spirit through His word. It is better than Friday nights ever used to be—ever. Jesus is real! He's not a weak human like me who shows me the way to live. He IS the way. He is in me, and I am in Him, and in Him is the way to the Father. What do you enjoy now that you did not have as a Sabbath-keeper? Happy Sabbath in Jesus! Colleen | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 12193 Registered: 12-2003 |
P.S.--Unless there's a specific reason why you need to hide your identity or the subject matter is extremely sensitive, please post in the Discussion section! There's some great conversation that could be beneficial in general! Thanks! Colleen | ||
| Animal Registered user Username: Animal Post Number: 844 Registered: 7-2008  |
Hi there I have come to see worship as a gift and a blessing from God, NOT a duty or obligation or a test of loyalty. I look forward to corporate worship, not a slave to it.....Hope this makes sense. Animal | ||
| Skeeter Registered user Username: Skeeter Post Number: 1217 Registered: 12-2007 |
Colleen : "So I want to ask, as this winter Friday nears sundown, what do you enjoy that God gives you that you did not have when you were still under the demands of Sabbath?." Well, THIS Friday evening.. I am going to watch one of my grandsons in a basketball game and I don't have to feel in the least guilty about it  I am not (as my MIL would say) breaking the Sabbath or setting a bad example for my grandchildren by watching them play sports on "Sabbath". I am at peace with it and I guess that is the key word... PEACE Francie | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 8930 Registered: 3-2004  |
I go to CR every Friday evening. God's spirit is felt there with the testimonies, singing and the camaradarie with my friends there. They are not afraid to say what God has done or is doing for them. We all know we are sinners and that God is changing us one habit, hang up and hurt at a time. Diana L | ||
| Martinc Registered user Username: Martinc Post Number: 225 Registered: 9-2006 |
He has given me the freedom to just let things be what they are without having to classify them into sacred and secular. The idea that certain places, things, or times are more sacred now seems completely arbitrary, and very unholy. I'm now realizing that as a Sabbath-keeper, I was actually using the sacred day to manage God and keep Him in His "place." Then I didn't have to feel guilty about leaving Him out of the other 144 hours of the week. Sometimes I even thought perversely that being more of a workaholic and secular on other days would make Sabbath more special, that I would "earn" the right to enjoy it. But that little mind game didn't work; the me-space never had enough. As a "Today-keeper," I'm still a lousy time manager, but when I allow the me-seconds to belong to Jesus, He makes them more restful and alive. Today-keeping isn't time management, it's surrendering to His free grace--right now! Martin C | ||
| Helovesme2 Registered user Username: Helovesme2 Post Number: 2724 Registered: 8-2004  |
Amen! Martin, you hit it on the nose! | ||
| Bb Registered user Username: Bb Post Number: 880 Registered: 7-2004 |
We had friends over to eat last night and were trying to decide whether to play games or watch a movie or just sit around and talk. What we ended up doing was watching You-tube clips of a really fabulous preacher that my friend loves to listen to, and she wanted to share it with us. Not once did I even think about the following... 1. Is our talk "sabbath talk?" 2. Is the t.v. on a religious program? 3. Did we "work" when we were preparing the meal? 4. Were our kids doing "sabbath things" or were they playing with secular things? 5. Did I get everything done in time for sundown? Yet, in our freedom in Christ we CHOSE to watch preaching because we are excited about what this man had to say! I feel like I finally have been told the GOOD NEWS and I want to share it to everyone! The Good News is NOT going back to the slavery of Egypt. I have been learning lately how much the story of the Israelites relates to us. How they are an example of how not to be. In 1 Corinthians 10 it says that the story is repeated as an example for us. Well, God led them out of slavery, in Exodus 13:17 it says He also re-directed them away from a battle because “If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.” ~Exodus 13:1 I see us as Christians out here in the desert wandering around. God sent His Son to redeem us (lead us out of Egypt) We follow, but we keep wanting to turn back to the comfort of legalism found in Egypt. We may have been slaves, but by george, we knew what was expected of us, and it was more comfortable to be enslaved and know what to do! Being free is awesome!! But it means trusting more in Jesus and relying on Him rather than what we can DO to please Him. Because we have to rely on Him we so excitedly want to do whatever He asks of us!! We actually have a relationship with Him now. The words "trust" and "faith" are like foreign words to a legalist. Maybe the faith that they experience is trusting that IF they do it right and each and every sin is confessed and overcome, possibly God will see fit to allow them entrance into His kingdom. Because we all know that any blot or stain on our character will keep us out of heaven. They don't reach for Jesus' blood to cover that stain, they try to scrub it clean by themselves so they can say "See Jesus? I did my part, may I be admitted?" | ||
| Asurprise Registered user Username: Asurprise Post Number: 1654 Registered: 7-2007 |
I keep catching myself starting in on the old habits of legalism. I keep having to remind myself of 1st John 2:12 that ALL my sins are forgiven -- past, present and future! Adventists believe in Jesus' grace plus "their own diligent effort". See what Ellen White wrote in the Great Controversy, chapter 24 called "In the Holy of Holies." quote: "Those who are living upon the earth when the intercession of Christ shall cease in the sanctuary above are to stand in the sight of a holy God without a mediator. Their robes must be spotless, their characters must be purified from sin by the blood of sprinkling. Through the grace of God and their own diligent effort they must be conquerors in the battle with evil." This is so NOT encouraging, but the real gospel of Jesus is!!! Ellen White also said that no one can know if they're saved or not, but the Bible CLEARLY says otherwise!!! (Ephesians 1:13,14; Eph. 2:8,9; 2nd Tim. 1:9; Titus 3:5; 1st John 2:12; 1st John 5:13 and probably a lot of other verses!) Anyway, it's so nice to have Jesus as my Sabbath instead of a day!!!!! Another thing I've noticed is that when I was an SDA, I looked forward to the THINGS I could do and enjoy in Heaven. Now that I'm a Christian, I've noticed that JESUS is the attraction!!!!!! | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 8934 Registered: 3-2004 |
As an SDA I looked forward to that "mansion" He is building for me in heaven and all the things I want to do that I cannot do here on earth. As a born again Christian all I want is to be with Jesus and worship Him. | ||
| Mkfound Registered user Username: Mkfound Post Number: 12 Registered: 1-2011 |
Asurprise--yes, I also always thought of the THINGS I would do in Heaven. And of all the things that I thought I could do, I thought that eternity was an awful long to do these things... But now that I've come to know Jesus--YAY! Eternity sounds wonderful. I just want to meet Jesus! | ||
| Indy4now Registered user Username: Indy4now Post Number: 982 Registered: 2-2008  |
I realize now that what I thought I had when I "rested" on the Sabbath, I never did have. As an adventist, my rest always came from a time period. A day. It was the weekly sabbath that gave me supposed rest. Now that I know what Christ has done for me through His sacrifice on the cross, I have a peace that literally "surpasses all comprehension." And as Colleen wrote above, I don't know what will happen in my life, I have difficult issues that I have to deal with, but through ALL circumstances in my life, I have this peace from God. It's a peace, a rest, that surpasses any rest that I had when I observed the sabbath. No amount of any sabbath keeping comes close to the peace that I have in Christ. So do I miss anything about the sabbath? No... it is inferior to the rest Christ has given me from my works. vivian | ||
| Karethamiller Registered user Username: Karethamiller Post Number: 146 Registered: 8-2010  |
I'm not sure that I've been out of Adventism long enough to adequately answer this question. However, I do want to comment on something Colleen wrote in her first post above. She wrote: "He has relieved my existential anxiety; even when I don't know what the future holds and when I face struggles for which there's no discernible solution, I know He does not leave me. I know He is in my future and that He holds me. " I love this statement! Particularly in the area of my life where I worry about my future as an ex-Adventist, i.e.: "how am I going to deal with Adventist family members and friends? How will I answer their questions? What if they cut me off and stop speaking to me?" The Holy Spirit keeps whispering to me, "I've got your back. I've got it handled. You don't need to worry about it, just relax and trust Me." This assurance is a strange and new experience for me. | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 12201 Registered: 12-2003 |
Karetha, I get it. It is a strange and new experience. Isn't it amazing to be able to relax and release control?! Hard at first--but what an amazing peace. Colleen | ||
| Karethamiller Registered user Username: Karethamiller Post Number: 147 Registered: 8-2010 |
Colleen...it is hard! Like a daily struggle. But He is faithful and keeps reminding me over and over that He's got me and I am ok. | ||
| Freeatlast Registered user Username: Freeatlast Post Number: 694 Registered: 5-2002 |
COLLEGE FOOTBALL! | ||
| Jonvil Registered user Username: Jonvil Post Number: 480 Registered: 4-2007 |
Colleen wrote: "Isn't it amazing to be able to relax and release control?!" Well yah BUT... there's nothing left for me to Doooo I really miss that dark cloud of angst, anxiety, uncertainty and fear hovering over my head, it was the stimulus to keeping busy with self-righteous works. I mean, now all I've got is the Gospel; the assurance of salvation through faith alone in Jesus, God's love grace mercy patience, the indwelling Holy Spirit, and the promise that NOTHING can remove me from His hand. Way too free and easy, it's as if God is in complete control, does it all and doesn't need my help! No more do-do. A Gnostic antinomian (as defined on a CARM forum) John | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 12212 Registered: 12-2003 |
You Gnostic, you...do-do indeed! Yes, that "antinomian" label gets thrown around with so much careless arrogance...and the careless "throwers" seem to pull out the label in order to quell the niggling questions that the gospel and the new covenant raise... Freeatlast, I love the football comment! Colleem |
