Here is information that the location of the SOP references to, may not be readily available to all so I will offer it freely to who ever wishes it. Jesus knew we would be confused and would need this information so He made sure it was added to His latter times training program for the Remnant People through His Testimonies to them, the SOP.

10 MR p- 89-95 (MR#800 Sabbath Keeping)
CH(Counsels on Health)p-235-236
CH p-489-491 (7 T p-121-123)
EV(Evangelism) p- 245

Manna verses eating wheat from grain field.

Manna = National Test to keep or reject Sabbath
(see - Exodus 16:4 Then said the LORD unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no.
Exodus 20:20 And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.)

God doubled the miracle of manna, on the preparation day so no one had to gather manna because of hunger, only stubbornness.

Sabbath eating of wheat = efforts to get food when they could not buy or obtain any food for themselves. They were submissive to God but were still in need of food. God worked no miracle, Jesus was there in person and the laws of God authorized eating from someone else's field to keep from personally starving .

GC(1888& 1911) The Great Controversy p- 52-53
LDE (Last Day Events) p-77-78
MAR (Maranatha) p- 161-178
MM (Medical Ministry) p-49-50; 214-216
PK (Prophets and Kings) p-179-189

[This message has been edited by Edward F Sutton (edited February 09, 2001).]

Yet bringing them into harmony with Inspiration is everythime a step closer to the "One Lord, one faith, one baptism,"
of Ephesians 4:5 and all who do this get a side benefit.

"Those who are true to their calling as messengers for God will not seek honor for themselves. Love for self will be swallowed up in love for Christ. No rivalry will mar the precious cause of the gospel. They will recognize that it is their work to proclaim, as did John the Baptist, "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." John 1:29. They will lift up Jesus, and with Him humanity will be lifted up. "Thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones." Isa. 57:15. {DA 179.5}

The soul of the prophet, emptied of self, was filled with the light of the divine. As he witnessed to the Saviour's glory, his words were almost a counterpart of those that Christ Himself had spoken in His interview with Nicodemus. John said, "He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: He that cometh from heaven is above all. . . . For He whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto Him." Christ could say, "I seek not Mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent Me." John 5:30. To Him it is declared, "Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even Thy God, hath anointed Thee with the oil of gladness above Thy fellows." Heb. 1:9. The Father "giveth not the Spirit by measure unto Him." {DA 180.1}

So with the followers of Christ. We can receive of heaven's light only as we are willing to be emptied of self. We cannot discern the character of God, or accept Christ by faith, unless we consent to the bringing into captivity of every thought to the obedience of Christ. To all who do this the Holy Spirit is given without measure. In Christ "dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, and in Him ye are made full." Col. 2:9, 10, R. V. {DA 181.1}

Perhaps our motives and opinions are more important than we throught. Perhaps we ought pray for each other earnestly they we each receive strength to surrender the power of personal opinions to Jesus, so that when we discover He believes differently than we do, we will be strengthened to surrender even our beliefs & opinons & motives to Him through agreement with Inspirations statements.

This being done cheerfully as a personal private thing without publicly disuting and defending cherished opinions that disagree with revealed truth.

This would prevent us from using Inspiration as a threshing blade or a club, when it needs to be both tourch & fireplace fire; enlightening and warming all in the house.

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Edward F Sutton

[This message has been edited by Edward F Sutton (edited February 09, 2001).]

The quote from Desire of Ages is demanding. Wherever and however I can make the quality of life better for one of God's children, I am compelled to do so. Be it Sabbath or Wednesday.

We as Christians, as Seventh-day Adventist Christians, cannot neglect such a gracious gift from God as is the Sabbath. We cannot afford to let this gift sit on the shelf of our spiritual, theological, and religious libraries collecting dust. The renewal and revitalization of our church is at stake. How we choose to respond will affect not only our lives but the health and welfare of future generations. God help us choose today to enter more fully into His glorious and gracious Sabbath rest.

Have a heavenly Sabbath!

How does a person rebuild their individual concept of worship and what God wants and expects ? Here are at least three possible formats used and a general direction of thought & action these create.

1. Personal philosophy only - a person decides upon the basis of their personal feelings and knowledge alone.

Result - They come up with whatever pleases them, which can be as varied as there are people on the globe. Enormous numbers of varieties, and having left the sovereignty and dependance of God out of the picture - none of these scenarios are built to be acceptable to God's terms of the judgement. So all these roads to Heaven fail, because their nature & content are based upon no need of a Saviour.

2. A religious philosophy that may or may not include the Bible as the basis for the faith, and adds things also that are on their terms.

Result - They come up with whatever pleases them, which can be as varied as there are people on the globe. Enormous numbers of varieties, and having included the sovereignty and dependance of God as part of the picture and dependance on self and doing or not doing whatever they want and retaining self built motives - The question becomes how many of these scenarios are built to be acceptable to God's terms of the judgement. So how many of these roads to Heaven fail, because their nature & content are based upon need of a Saviour plus the doing and motives as it pleases them. Human wishes and actions being given the ruling place in the life instead of God, even though the demeanor is religious.

3. (According to their opportunities given them),obeying God's leading implicitly and/or if they have availability of a Bible accept only a religious philosophy that uses the Bible as the basis for the faith, and adds nothing that is not on the Bible's terms. And removes all conflicting prior self built or non Biblical philosophies .

Result - They trust God implicitly and His Words & Works & Motives & Plans, and their works & plans & motives not at all. They search out from God's revealed Words what His says His works and plans and motives are and then discard everything that conflicts with them and add only those revealed things God's Words show. God's concerns have become their concerns and their loyalties are no longer divided between what God reveals and selfishness in what ever form. They depend upon the Saviour which is given the throne of absolute and total rulership of their life and motives and actions and purposes.

The third group is rare, and not so easy to deal with because since they are no longer "double minded" the ones who are double minded find that mutual points of reference and value systems are widely differing . This third group that voluntarily gives themselves to God through utter dependance upon the Saviour and His merits and live out obedience on the basis that their motives, and faith that acts out it's convictions are following what God has said alone. They by their lives and actions and efforts are offensive to the first two groups. This is where the Gospel becomes a sword. This group has become so changed in their thinking that they do not debate about God's words when faced with a personal conflict because of them. They go to their Saviour and wrestle until self is conquered through Him & the reasons for debate from them are gone. They treat God's words in a different manner than the first two groups. They do not add (their own desired things), they do not take away (ignore or disobey because it's more present to do so); they come & see & strive to understand . They repent & turn to God's motives & purposes & imitate His actions .

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Edward F Sutton

When my kids did not do what I told them to do, or did what what I told them not to do; I didn't have to wonder about their motives the message was loud and clear.

God must see people completely covered with and full of the merits and mediation and seal of Jesus and Himself and the Holy Ghost. That alone will fulfil their entrance into and fitness for being part of the kingdom of Heaven.

Can you be completely covered with and full of the merits and mediation and seal of Jesus and Himself and the Holy Ghost, if either your works or motives were things Jesus could not join you in as a partner in fulfilling all the revealed Words of God delivered to you ?

Would you be completely covered with and full of the merits and mediation and seal of Jesus and Himself and the Holy Ghost, if all your works and motives were things Jesus could did join you in as a partner in fulfilling all the revealed Words of God delivered to you ?

When useing only God's inspired words to answer those questions, you will have the information that answers what do you do and not do on Sabbath and why and for what motives.

Let the study and discussion of what is found in inspiration, develop and blossom and ripen and harvest.

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Edward F Sutton

May I add a few words to your statements?
It takes one's sacrifice to follow Christ.
I feel the Sabbath hours belong to God, not ours, we have 6 days what we have to do for our own, the 7th day belongs to God, therefore, we must do God's work. This is the reason why I rest from my own routine work. If I want to help the poor I would set the time aside of my own, not the God's time, this is how I feel about the Sabbath, and this was the reason why I voluntarily quit medical school.

Won

Thank you for your input. It is an interesting concept to me to say that if you wanted to help the poor, you would take it out of your time instead of God's time. How does that fit in with the statement of God that if you have done it unto the least of these you have done it unto me? I read that to mean that if I spend my Sabbath helping the poor, I am spending time with God.

I totally agree with your position that to render dental attention to patients because they do not want to take time off of work during the week so want you to fix their teeth on Sabbath. However, I see a great deal of difference between that and taking a bag of dental tools to the innercity to eliminate dental pain and decay for those who would not otherwise see a tooth professional. If the Spirit of Prophecy says, which it does, that God does not want suffering to last for anyone longer than we can relieve it, what is our responsibility to the homeless? Are we turning our back on God by telling them in effect: "If it wasn't Sabbath, I would help you"? Jesus didn't. Why should we?

The dental tools are kept in reserve for the sudden needs that demand attention now, like a broken tooth or a gashed lip. The crowns & cleaning can wait.

The broken hip goes to ER & maybe surgery, the face lift waits.

The sad & lonely are talked to & comforted now, on Sabbath & after Sabbath & before Sabbath.

Isaiah ch 58 is one of the guidelines for what to do, so are Nehemiah & Exodus & Leviticus and everywhere the Bible talks about Sabbath & it's purposes and ministering to others .

Consider it Heaven's politics, Earth has Satan's politics that are based on getting all you can & glorifying self all you can and getting as rich as you can. Those politics are multi-layered and multi tasking humanly very complex operations done according to human laws.

Heaven's politics are different. Obtaining from God to give to others, comforting, ministering to necesities and needs, teaching, helping, instilling hopes far beyond peoples present horizons, and pushing evil back and restraining it when ever possible. The rule of force and opression to convert, all laid aside and all the fallen human concepts. Truth through kindness reaching the heart.

Both forms of politics operate according to law. Heaven's politics operate according to law .... the same law He wrote with His finger. But is that law understood ?

Jesus 3 1/2 years of public ministry were not secular work. His healing people was not secular work. Sabbath has never been in Scripture combined with secular work.

So the real question is, what are non secular types of ministry that ought to be done on Sabbath ? Please include your list of inspired references and reasons

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Edward F Sutton

I am firmly convinced that my entire life – everything I have and am – belongs to God. Not just one tenth of my material increase and one seventh of my time, but 100% of my time, talents, abilities, and material resources. It is not up to me to decide for myself how I will serve God. If I am to be living a life of submission to God, I must follow His leading in all things, including in the choice of outreach to others. I would never take it upon myself to decide how to reach out to those around me without very much prayer. God knows me very well, and only He knows where, when, and how I can most effectively reach someone else. Whatever I might do under the direction of my own ideas and in my own strength is doomed to failure. And God has almost never directed me to do what I would have chosen if it were left up to me. More than once, He has led me in a way that defied traditional SDA thought.

Several years ago, God led us to invite a young man to live in our home. This young man had committed his life to God and was seeking the way to Him. I was quite sure that I should do everything possible to influence him to become and Adventist. But as I was thinking of this matter, during the time R was moving his things into our house, God very plainly said to me, “Can you love R even if I lead him into another church?”

This was quite a shock to me. How many SDA’s would say, “that couldn’t be God speaking!”? But I knew very well that it was, for He had been speaking to me in this same manner for many years. Now, I certainly didn’t think God was going to lead him to some other church, but I knew that God was telling me that it was not my place to convict this young man of anything – that was God’s job. All I was to do was to encourage him to seek God for himself, and answer whatever questions he should ask me. And if I couldn’t handle whatever way God might choose to lead in his life, whether it agreed with my own ideas of the way things should be or not, I was to stay out of his life and leave him alone. Anything else would be disobedience. So, after considering this message, I said, “yes Father, I can love him even if you lead him to another church."

A day or so later, as I was thinking to myself how nice it was going to be to have this polite, pleasant young man there to talk to, and to do the little repair jobs around the house that my husband didn’t have time to do, which was what we asked of him instead of rent, God spoke to me again. “What if R should turn his back on Me and start drinking and bringing home a different girl every night? Are you willing to take that risk?” Again I was shocked. I certainly did not think that was going to happen. Yet I knew that R had the freedom to choose whether to serve God or not, and there were no guarantees that he would remain committed to God. So, after thinking of the risk Jesus took for me, I said, “Yes Father, even if he should steal everything we have, murder us in our sleep, and burn the house down around us, I am willing to take that risk.”

Before you decide to criticize my making the choice even to risk my entire family, realize that God’s leading in bringing R to our house was unmistakable, right from the start. And knowing that all of this was God’s will, and completely under His control, there was really no other choice I could make, except to turn away from God’s will for me and my family. Of course I did not believe that any of those things would happen, for my experience with God through the years has left me completely at peace that when He leads, He also protects from any real harm. My family would not be taken out of His hands, even if they should die. But I knew that I was being told that I must put aside my own ideas of how things were going to be and accept whatever happened as being part of God’s plan.

I needed both of those messages, and all of the others God gave me during that week. I prayed constantly during the time R lived in our house, both for God’s Spirit to work on his heart, and for Him to lead me, and put His words into my mouth (and restrain my own!). And believe me, it was no picnic having him there. Yes, I did enjoy our long talks that lasted until 1 or 2 AM nearly every night, especially since sharing with R how God had led in my life and shown His love to me encouraged me as much as it did him, as was seeing R’s growing faith and commitment. But Satan was furious at losing one whom he had had so tightly in his hands, and he attacked viciously – R, my whole family, and especially me, as I was the one God was using to reach R. I am convinced that if I had proceeded according to my own ideas and in my own strength, my family would have been destroyed. Instead, God turned Satan’s attacks into ultimate good, though that didn’t necessarily happen right away. By the time R moved out of our house, my own health was completely destroyed, in large part due to the stress of that spiritual battle.

About 8 months after R moved into our house, he was baptized. A couple of years later, I told him about the things God had said to me during the week he was moving into our house. He told me that if I had preached at him or pressured him even the least little bit, he would have run the other way.

If we will put ourselves into God’s hands and surrender our wills to Him, then He will lead us into whatever outreach He wants us to do, and we will be left without any doubts as to whether it is right to do on the Sabbath, or any other time. No, He will never lead us contrary to His will as revealed in His word, but it might be quite a surprise to most SDA’s to learn how God really means those truths to operate in our lives. And anyone who will put himself into God’s hands and ask Him to show him his own duty is going to be much too busy to have any time to criticize anyone else’s methods!

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The Lord is the strength of my life and my portion forever.

Perhaps you answered you own question in a prior post. Could the difference between secular and ministry be motive?

I'm not sure about the "emergency" test set forth in your post. What about Jesus and the non-emergency healing in my original post?

[This message has been edited by Wedntgp (edited February 12, 2001).]