Posted By: Avalee
Guidelines For Keeping The Sabbath Holy - 10/11/03 06:17 AM
I was sent the following by email awhile back and thought others would like to read it also.
quote:
POSITIVE, PRACTICAL AND HELPFUL SUGGESTIONSAND GUIDELINES TO HELP YOU KEEP THE SABBATH HOLY
[From an old pamphlet see 6T: 356-368]
If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable; and shalt honour Him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. Isaiah 58: 13, 14.
Merely resting is not keeping the Sabbath. Attendance at the services of the Lord s house does not constitute Sabbath keeping; we can do both of these and not keep the Sabbath; but to put away our things, including our thoughts and work, that we may enter into the thoughts of God, and renew our vows to do His will in all things this is Sabbath-keeping.
“The Christian’s Experience. Pg. 10, Julius Gilbert White”.
* House cleaning should be ended before sunset Friday.
* Cooking should be finished before sunset Friday so that it will only be necessary to warm up the food for eating on the Sabbath.
* All clothing and shoes to be worn for Sabbath should be prepared before sunset Friday and all washing and ironing should be avoided on God s holy time.
* Any gasoline needed for the car, as well as articles of food and other merchandise, should be purchased before sundown Friday.
* It would be best to take prep rational baths and showers before the Sabbath hours begin, thereby having more time Friday evening for personal Bible study or review.
* It would be well to lay aside and out of sight all secular books, magazines and newspapers. Also, your everyday secular mail should be read after and not during the Sabbath hours.
* Late Friday afternoon meals should be eaten and the kitchen cleaned up before Sabbath. Dishes and utensils that are used on Sabbath should be rinsed off and then washed thoroughly after the Sabbath hours.
* It would be well to have everything done and be ready for the Sabbath 30 minutes to an hour before the Sabbath.
* It is better to begin the evening worship before the Sabbath arrives than to wait until the Sabbath has begun.
* The Friday evening worship in your home should be brief a song or two, a short Scripture reading, and short prayers by all.
* On Friday evenings is a good time to review the Sabbath School lesson with all the family.
* It would be well for the family to retire early on Friday evenings in order to rise early on Sabbath morning.
* It would be well to let all secular radio and television programs wait until after the Sabbath hours.
* On Sabbath morning it would be excellent for every member of the household to have a brief personal worship before breakfast.
* Sabbath morning breakfast should be light.
* There should be special garments set aside specifically for Sabbath services. It would be well to avoid wearing the same common clothing you normally wear every day for work and other mundane activities.
* All members of the household should leave for the sacred house together when possible. It gives a sense of unity.
* As an aid to reverence in the sanctuary, it would be well for parents and children to all sit together. This is a good opportunity to train children on how to behave in church.
* We should avoid chewing gum or eating in the sanctuary.
* One s conversation, music and surroundings on God s day should be that which will direct the thoughts heavenward. (God s work, works, and word are the appropriate topics to dwell on, on God s holy time.)
* Sabbath afternoon meals should be attractive, well planned and tasty, but not an occasion for over-eating, over-indulgence.
* There is no sin in resting an hour or two on Sabbath afternoon. Disrespect to God lies in sleeping all Sabbath and refraining from worshipping at the house of God.
* Sabbath afternoons are excellent periods of time for youth and adults to go out into God s nature and meet Him there. Wonder in the glory, the love and the wisdom of God in the flowers and plant sand animals, and in all the works of His hands around you.
* If joy riding on the Sabbath is a problem with you, ask yourself is my joy riding contributing to my spiritual welfare and a betterment of my understanding of God s will for me on His day?
* Secular trips and vacations should be planned so as not to interfere with the holy Sabbath hours.
* Trips to the seashore or lakeside should not be occasions for such activities as swimming or horseplay; neither should a walkthrough a park or field be an excuse for playing games or kicking a ball. Such actions on the Sabbath do not honour God; neither do they lift thethoughts heavenward.
* Sabbath afternoons are excellent times to visit the sick, the jails, nursing homes, etc., and to give Bible studies.
* Although it is good to visit and give comfort and aid to the sick and shut-in on the Sabbath, this aid should consist of doing such personal things as bringing them a warm meal or giving them a simple health treatment. Menial tasks, such as cleaning or repairs, should be left for days other than on God s holy Sabbath day.
* On the Sabbath day it would be well for every Christian tospend one-half hour or more with his Bible getting better acquainted with the Creator of the Sabbath, Jesus Christ.
* Business transactions such as the payment of the rent or its collection, the payment of bills and other such matters, should wait until after the Sabbath hours are over.
* The studying of secular school lessons and all such school activities should be laid aside during the 24 hour Sabbath period.
* Picnics, gatherings, and other such social events, as well as the discussion of such, should wait until the Sabbath hours are over.
* Let your love affairs (admonition to the young and single) wait until after the Sabbath.
* Sabbath evening about 15 minutes to one-half hour before sunset, the family should be gathered for a short worship or vesper period, either in the home, or at the church. These worship or vesper periods should have a fitting song or two, short Scripture reading, and a few short prayers.
SUMMARY: Be happy and joyous on the Sabbath day! It's best to follow the principle to avoid doing or spending all of your time engaged in any one of the above items as all sleeping, all sitting in church, all staying out in nature, or all visiting the sick. Beloved, rejoice when the Sabbath day cometh!
This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24
Posted By: Steve Claborn
Re: Guidelines For Keeping The Sabbath Holy - 10/10/03 09:32 PM
Wouldn't church attendance and the potluck afterwards constitute a "social gathering?" If the potluck is held outside on the church lawn, wouldn't that be a picnic?
Posted By: Avalee
Re: Guidelines For Keeping The Sabbath Holy - 10/10/03 11:13 PM
Hi Steve,
I guess it could be whatever you wanted it to be.
Posted By: Cheri Fritz
Re: Guidelines For Keeping The Sabbath Holy - 10/13/03 04:56 AM
Greetings Avalee,
I would like to share about keeping guidelines. In the past I followed all the rules, but something was missing. It troubled me that the Sabbath day was not a delight.
During my studies I found that I needed to daily pray in supplication before the Lord. What I further found was that I needed to pray for the Holy Spirit to guide me into all truth and learn how to be humbled. I needed to realize my condition. My condition was born the sinner that needs the good character of Christ placed on her.
It was difficult to find out that I was wrong because my heart was proud. But the Lord is great humbler if we are willing to have our hearts accept all truth.
Then with great delight I began having a day of rest rather than a day of law in obedience.
Also, found that God actually puts His laws in our minds and writes them in our hearts when we are His.
What a blessed God Amighty to make sure the way of salvation.
I encourage each one of you to pray daily with repentence and then convert to the will of the Father. And do not ever forget to ask for the Holy Spirit for He is the one that Christ sent to us to know all truth.
May the Lord lead and may we follow,
Sister Cheri
Posted By: Cheri Fritz
Re: Guidelines For Keeping The Sabbath Holy - 10/13/03 05:07 AM
Greetings Br. Steve,
Gathering together on the Sabbath day for fellowship during the lunch hour should not be a problem....
We must guard our conversations with those things which are about the Lord and His business.
If the "potluck" after church is used for sharing all about their financial and selfish delights of their weeks labor, then it is a social gathering.
Sister Cheri
Posted By: Avalee
Re: Guidelines For Keeping The Sabbath Holy - 10/13/03 05:59 PM
Amen Cheri..
If the things we do are not done from a love for God in our hearts they do not mean anything at all. Sabbath is a day of delight not a day for rules.
Whoever it was who wrote the above guidelines most likely wrote them maybe for new Sabbathkeepers to guide them. I know when I first became a Christian I did not now anything about keeping the Sabbath Holy. I would liked to have had something to guide me at first. Some ideas to read. I for one have never looked at any of God's commands as RULES...that just sounds so harsh don't you think? I look at them as what God has given us to give us a better and happier life with Him.
As far as potluck goes you are so right about the conversations we should have. I am sorry to say that there is alot of everyday talk done at them, however that can be done with or without a potluck. Whenever the ones I am around start to talk of everyday things I do my best to get the conversation back to spiritual things. Sometimes it works..sometimes it does not.
Posted By: vastergotland
Re: Guidelines For Keeping The Sabbath Holy - 10/17/03 05:15 AM
Originally posted by Avalee:
What a strange thing to say....I do not see the word RULES anywhere...I do see Guidelines that are good for new Sabbathkeepers...
These are rules for the very simple reason that they try to tell you HOW you should be prepeared for and what you should or shouldnt do on sabbath, not just that you should be resting from labour as the bible do.
This RULE for instance tells you how you should do friday vespers, and that in a quite exact way, this doesnt look like a guideline or suggestion, it looks like a RULE "* The Friday evening worship in your home should be brief a song or two, a short Scripture reading, and short prayers by all."
and those of us who are not new..and there is nothing there that is so grievious is there? Which one of these hurts or makes anyone unhappy? If we love the Lord and His Sabbath as we like to say we do all these Guidelines will come from the heart of someone who wants to be ready to meet God at the appointed time....when the sun goes down on Friday night.
If someone in his or her heart feels that this is the best guide to how sabbath should be keept, then this person should follow it (let everyone be persuaded in his own mind as paul writes, right?), what this person should not do is to write down what this person feels is the right way to keep the sabbath and tell others to do likewise. God can teach every person who wants to know the appropriate way for this person, right? Why do I write "this person"? The reason for this is that I belive it to be possible that not everyone meets God by following the steps mentioned in the rule collection: #1 two songs, a short sermon and a short prayer on friday night, #2 one hour of biblestudy followed by a walk in the wild, followed by #3 another two songs with short sermon and short prayer just before sunset. One illustratin from my experience, a good way for me to meet God is to walk around in the park having a 1,5-2 hour conversation with Him. Now, there are many obvious and not so obvious reasons why this wouldnt work for everyone (like for instance the group of people that are unable to walk around in a forest or anywhere for 2 hours)
It is so very sad to see that people are unhappy about being ready to meet the One and Only God.
Now if the the rabbis and pharisees had the love of the Sabbath in thier hearts like someone who wants to have everything ready BEFORE the Sabbath hour is here they would have surely been very happy and delighted in the Sabbath.
...
...now these are RULES. They do not even come close to the Guidelines posted...at least not in my heart. I for one want to have everything ready BEFORE the Sabbath in order to give ALL my time to God. Don't you?
Interesting study on the word preparation and its implications, to bad it only applies to less than half of the points in the list. The other ones tell you how to behave on sabbath, not how to prepeare for it.
I think any one truly wanting to be ready for the Sabbath hour by havaing everything ready for meeting God, can tell the difference between those kinds of RULES and what are very simple GUIDELINES to be done on PREPARATION DAY.
And lastly, whats a sacred house anyway?
"* All members of the household should leave for the sacred house together when possible. It gives a sense of unity."
The author of this seems quite attached to the brick and wood that makes the building the church gathers in.
Posted By: Avalee
Re: Guidelines For Keeping The Sabbath Holy - 10/17/03 02:20 PM
This is so very very sad to see this from your heart...these GUIDELINES DO NOT say you have to do this or die. These are just simple GUIDELINES. I am so very very very sorry you feel like this towards being ready for God. I do not have sundown Vespers on Friday or Sabbath. Am I breaking a rule? No because there is not RULE to break. I am sorry but I have to tell you that you are being pretty silly here. These are just suggestions that someone long ago wrote up to guide people for being ready for the Sabbath. No where do they tell us we HAVE TO DO THESE THINGS. For some strange reason you want to turn this into something else and I am so sorry you feel that way. I have a suggestion NOT A RULE
![[Big Grin]](images/icons/grin.gif)
.... Just ignore it. That way you can be happy in what every it is you want to do.
Posted By: Avalee
Re: Guidelines For Keeping The Sabbath Holy - 10/18/03 12:54 AM
I guess you see these suggestions as one way and I see them another way. I choose to see them as just suggestions and you choose to see them as rules. This is what I think is sad. You have put an intent into this thread that was not there. It has not been posted to tell people what to do....
Now you have mention this part below about Friday vespers for instance:
quote:
This RULE for instance tells you how you should do friday vespers, and that in a quite exact way, this doesnt look like a guideline or suggestion, it looks like a RULE "* The Friday evening worship in your home should be brief a song or two, a short Scripture reading, and short prayers by all."
Now I am not sure if you believe in the Spirit of Prophecy or not but whoever wrote those simple guidelines for being ready for the Sabbath took alot of it from the Spirit of Prophecy and just put it in their own words. Take what the Spirit of Prophecy has said about this one thing about Vespers you are troubled about:
quote:
Testimonies For The Church
Page 356
Before the setting of the sun let the members of the family assemble to read God's word, to sing and pray. There is need of reform here, for many have been remiss.
Now this has been given to us from the Spirit of Prophecy...it is saying the same thing this person who wrote these guidelines....
Again all I can say is I am sorry that you feel the way you do. No one has tried to tell you what to do...that is not anyones business but God's. Plese do not try to read into something that is meant to be very simple. ![[Heart]](graemlins/heart.gif)
Posted By: DrD
Re: Guidelines For Keeping The Sabbath Holy - 10/19/03 06:14 AM
I wonder if a condensed copy of the "guidelines" could be prepared so that it could be carried in a purse or pocket for easy referal to make sure compliance is accomplished each week. Maybe we should also have a long list of guidelines to make sure our relationshhip with our children is what it should be, as well as one for our spouse, and our parents,etc. I believe in the Spirit of Prophecy because the advise given was practical for the time in which it was given, keeping in mind that there are principles behind the guidelines. The principles never change. The rules or guidelines do. For instance, I would suggest that the reason for the guideline to complete bathing before Sabbath was because of the time and effort necessary to prepare for bathing. You had to start a fire on the stove to heat the water, drag in a tub to put the warm water in, each take a turn in the same tub, carry the "used" water outside to dispose of it, and then clean up the spilled water on the floor. Not a very inspiring time. When I shower now, I turn on a handle, bath, dry off, and sing songs while doing so. No big deal. Can you see a difference? How about ironing? You know what was needed to prepare for ironing about 100 years ago. Somewhat diffrent than now, huh? What about food preperation? Any difference?
You know, just as my actions to deveolpe a "perfect" relationship with my spouse may be diffrent than your actions to develope that relationship with your spouse, maybe my actions in developing that relationship with Christ may be diffrent than your actions. It is a heart thing. Look at the principles, just like Jesus did, not the guidelines of yesteryear. That may lead to a more enjoyable and profitable Sabbath experience.
Posted By: vastergotland
Re: Guidelines For Keeping The Sabbath Holy - 10/19/03 12:57 AM
Hi Avalee
I see that you did choose to ignore my last reply...
Id just want to comment on the vespers quote that you did take up. I have nothing against vespers, I however have some doubts about "GUIDELINES"/checklists that tell you quite specifilcly how you should do it.
As of my view of the Spirit of Prophesy, yes, I belive in Him. Jesus said this about Him, JOhn 16
quote:
5"Now I am going to him who sent me, yet none of you asks me, 'Where are you going?' 6Because I have said these things, you are filled with grief. 7But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt[1] in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: 9in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; 10in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; 11and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.
12"I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. 13But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. 15All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you.
16"In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me."
Your quote, I assume, comes from Ellen White who had the gift of prophesy. Many of her books include these prophesies, though I cannot say for sure about all of them due to lack of knowledge.
This might have confused things even more. Perhaps DrD's post is clearer. I found it good.
/Thomas
Posted By: Avalee
Re: Guidelines For Keeping The Sabbath Holy - 10/19/03 01:11 AM
All I can say is that we shall have to agree to disagree on how we see these guidelines....I have never looked at anything that pertains to God as rules, lists, guidelines...or whatever the word may be. I pray that each and everyday I come closer to my Lord and Saviour. Being ready for the Sabbath does not make me sad, hurried, or whatever. All week my mind is on the Sabbath Day and what needs to be done in order for the time to be God's and God's only. Which means if something needs to be ironed it will be ironed before Sabbath begins and if it does not get ironed then it will not be worn.
Praise God for his Word in the Scriptures and the Spirit of Prophecy to guide us through this world...whoops there is that nasty word "guide" you guys do not like...
Lest anyone thinks God is not serious about us obeying what He has told us to do...well just ask Adam and Eve if God is serious...they did not think He was I guess...all He told them to do was not eat of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil...simple guideline to having eternal life...whoops there is that nasty word again you so much dislike...
And no I am not saying that the Guideline list that was posted was from God..so don't go getting all excited again.
Posted By: Avalee
Re: Guidelines For Keeping The Sabbath Holy - 10/19/03 02:34 AM
Was just reading in the Testimonies for the Church that God has given us to guide us through this world and was so blessed by reading what He gave to His prophet to give to us in the last days. Amen
Below are just a few quotes from this chapter.
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Great blessings are enfolded in the observance of the Sabbath, and God desires that the Sabbath day shall be to us a day of joy. There was joy at the institution of the Sabbath. God looked with satisfaction upon the work of His hands. All things that He had made He pronounced "very good." Genesis 1:31. Heaven and earth were filled with rejoicing. "The morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy." Job 38:7. Though sin has entered the world to mar His perfect work, God still gives to us the Sabbath as a witness that One omnipotent, infinite in goodness and mercy, created all things. Our heavenly Father desires through the observance of the Sabbath to preserve among men a knowledge of Himself. He desires that the Sabbath shall direct our minds to Him as the true and living God, and that through knowing Him we may have life and peace.
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To us as to Israel the Sabbath is given "for a perpetual covenant." To those who reverence His holy day the Sabbath is a sign that God recognizes them as His chosen people. It is a pledge that He will fulfill to them His covenant. Every soul who accepts the sign of God's government places himself under the divine, everlasting covenant. He fastens himself to the golden chain of obedience, every link of which is a promise.
quote:
Far more sacredness is attached to the Sabbath than is given it by many professed Sabbathkeepers. The Lord has been greatly dishonored by those who have not kept the Sabbath according to the commandment, either in the letter or in the spirit. He calls for a reform in the observance of the Sabbath.
quote:
All through the week we are to have the Sabbath in mind and be making preparation to keep it according to the commandment. We are not merely to observe the Sabbath as a legal matter. We are to understand its spiritual bearing upon all the transactions of life. All who regard the Sabbath as a sign between them and God, showing that He is the God who sanctifies them, will represent the principles of His government. They will bring into daily practice the laws of His kingdom. Daily it will be their prayer that the sanctification of the Sabbath may rest upon them. Every day they will have the companionship of Christ and will exemplify the perfection of His character. Every day their light will shine forth to others in good works.
quote:
We should jealously guard the edges of the Sabbath. Remember that every moment is consecrated, holy time. Whenever it is possible, employers should give their workers the hours from Friday noon until the beginning of the Sabbath. Give them time for preparation, that they may welcome the Lord's day with quietness of mind. By such a course you will suffer no loss even in temporal things.
Oh what a Wonderful God we server who cares so much for us He has given us such blessed words to help us. Amen!!! Below is a link to the comlete chapter with the above quotes for those to read who might not have access to books....This was taken from Testimonies for the Church, Volume 6 - By Ellen White - Messenger of God!!! ![[Pray or Praying or Prayer]](graemlins/pray.gif)
The Observance Of The Sabbath