Remember My Affliction

Bible Reading:  Lamentations 3:1-21

Key Verse: Verse 19 - “Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.”

Key Words: Remembering mine affliction 

Have you ever felt as Jeremiah did?  Jeremiah said...

Ø  (verse 1) that he had experienced God’s wrath,

Ø  (verses 2, 6) that he was living in spiritually dark times,

Ø  (verse 3) that God was against him,

Ø  (verse 4) that he was growing old,

Ø  (verse 5) that he was in gall and bitterness, and

Ø  (verse 7) that he was trapped.

The list goes on and on, but Jeremiah did not end with gloom and doom.  Jeremiah finally changed his thinking in verse 21, “This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.”  In the remaining verses we see Jeremiah’s hope.

Your attitude toward affliction will determine what you accomplish for God.  Affliction never leaves you the same; it makes you bitter or better.  It leaves you better when you have spiritual goals in mind and understand that affliction is a part of reaching that goal.  Remember, great goals require great affliction.  Small goals require little affliction.  But you have to have goals and know where you are going.

Thomas Henry Huxley was a devoted disciple of Darwin, famous biologist, teacher, and author, defender of the theory of evolution, bold, convincing, self-avowed humanist, and traveling lecturer.

Having finished another series of public assaults against several truths Christians held sacred, Huxley was in a hurry the following morning to catch his train to the next city.  He took one of Dublin’s famous horse-drawn taxis and settled back with his eyes closed to rest himself for a few minutes.  He assumed the driver had been told the destination by the hotel doorman, so all he had said as he got in was, “Hurry, I’m almost late.  Drive fast!”  The horses lurched forward and galloped across Dublin at a vigorous pace.  Before long Huxley glanced out the window and frowned as he realized they were going west, away from the sun, not toward it.

Leaning forward, the scholar shouted, “Do you know where you are going?”  Without looking back, the driver yelled a classic line, not meant to be humorous.  “No, your honor!  But I am driving very fast!”

                                                                                            Dr. Mike Rouse 

What to do:

            ✞Keep your focus on God.

Remember Me and Visit Me

Bible Reading:  Jeremiah 15:10-21

Key Verse: Verse 15 - “O LORD, thou knowest: remember me, and visit me, and revenge me of my persecutors; take me not away in thy longsuffering: know that for thy sake I have suffered rebuke.”

 Key Words: remember me, and visit me 

 J. Vernon McGee says regarding Jeremiah, chapters 14 and 15: “Up to this point Jeremiah has been prophesying during the reign of Josiah.  Now we find him delivering a prophecy during the reign of Jehoiakim.  King Josiah during the last part of his reign did a very foolish thing.  He fought against Nechoh, a pharaoh of Egypt, and there at Megiddo Josiah was killed.  Jeremiah mourned for him; he had been his friend.  After the death of Josiah, the nation began to drop back into idolatry.”

So Jeremiah who had stood firm in his convictions for God and the things of God requested that God remember him and visit him.  Jeremiah knew that there was peace and safety in the presence of God.

Dr. Tony Compolo says that when he was a boy growing up in a congested and bustling city, his mother arranged for a teenage girl who lived nearby to walk home with him at the end of the day.  For this, she was paid a nickel a day.  But Tony rebelled in the second grade and told his mother, “I’ll walk myself to school, and, if you give me a nickel a week, I will be extra careful.  You can keep the other twenty cents and we’ll all be better off.”

After a period of pleading and begging, little Tony finally got his way.  For the next two years he walked by himself back and forth to school.  It was an eight-block walk with many streets to cross, but he was careful and didn’t talk to strangers or get distracted along the way.

Years later at a family party, he bragged about his independence and reminded his family of how he had taken care of himself as a boy.  His mother laughed and added the rest of the story.  “Did you really think you were alone?” she said.  “Every morning when you left for school, I left with you.  I walked behind you all the way.  When you got out of school at 3:30 in the afternoon, I was there.  I always kept myself hidden, but I was there, and I followed you all the way home.  I just wanted to be there for you in case you needed me.”

Hebrews 13:5b, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”

                                                                                                Dr. Mike Rouse  

What to do:

      ✞Know that you are in a place of peace and safety  with God.

 

Remember Not The Sins of My Youth

Bible Reading:  Psalm 25:1-11

Key Verse: Verse 7 - “Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness' sake, O  LORD.”

Key Words: Remember not the sins of my youth 

We do some foolish things in our youth!!!  Don’t deny it, it’s true.  Every one of us should thank God daily for His mercy (God not giving us what we deserve).  If we got what we deserved, we’d all be in hell.

I’ve been a pastor for over 40 years, so I’ve watched a lot of our kids grow up.  If I stood in the pulpit and told all I knew about you, you would never forgive me, and you could never show your face in public again.  I repeat, thank God for His mercy!

There’s a great example of mercy in the actions of former President Calvin Coolidge.  Years after the death of President Calvin Coolidge, this story came to light.  In the early days of his presidency, Coolidge awoke one morning in his hotel room to find a cat burglar going through his pockets.  Coolidge spoke up, asking the burglar not to take his watch chain because it contained an engraved charm he wanted to keep.  Coolidge then engaged the thief in quiet conversation and discovered he was a college student who had no money to pay his hotel bill or buy a ticket back to campus.  Coolidge counted $32 out of his wallet – which he had also persuaded the dazed young man to give back! – declared it to be a loan, and advised the young man to leave the way he had come as to avoid the Secret Service!  (Yes, the loan was paid back.)

Mercy we need, and we should all give it.

                                                                                                    Dr. Mike Rouse

What to do:

      ✞Ask God to “remember not the sins of [your] youth”...and adult life as well, I might add.

Remember Your GIft

Bible Reading: II Timothy 1:1-17      

Key Verse: Verse 6 - “Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.”       

 Key Words: remembrance...the gift 

Every one of us has at least one spiritual gift we can use for God’s glory.  The question is: Are we continually stirring up the gift to make it fit and useful in God’s service?

Once upon a time, the animals decided they should do something meaningful to meet the problems of the new world.  So they organized a school.  They adopted an activity curriculum of running, climbing, swimming and flying.  To make it easier to administer the curriculum, all the animals took all the subjects.  The duck was excellent in swimming, in fact, better than his instructor.  But he made only passing grades in flying and was very poor in running.  Since he was slow in running, he had to drop swimming and stay after school to practice running.  This caused his web feet to be badly worn, so that he was only average in swimming.  But average was quite acceptable, so nobody worried about that – except the duck.  The rabbit started at the top of his class in running but developed a nervous twitch in his leg muscles because of so much make-up work in swimming.  The squirrel was excellent at climbing, but he encountered constant frustration in flying class because his teacher made him start from the ground up instead of from the treetop down.  He developed “Charlie horses” from overexertion, and so only got a C in climbing and a D in running.  The eagle was a problem child and was severely disciplined for being a non-conformist.  In climbing classes he beat all the others to the top of the tree but insisted on using his own way to get there.

The obvious moral of that story is a simple one – each creature has its own set of capabilities in which it will naturally excel – unless it is expected or forced to fill a mold that doesn’t fit.  When that happens, frustration, discouragement, and even guilt brings overall mediocrity or complete defeat.  A duck is a duck – and only a duck.  It is built to swim, not to run or fly and certainly not to climb.  A squirrel is a squirrel – and only that.  To move it out of its forte, climbing, and then expect it to swim or fly will drive a squirrel nuts.  Eagles are beautiful creatures in the air but not in a foot race.  The rabbit will win every time unless, of course, the eagle gets hungry.  What is true of creatures in the forest is true of Christians in the family, both the family of believers and the family under your roof.  God has not made us all the same.  He never intended to.  It was He who planned and designed the differences, unique capabilities, and variations in the Body.

Remember, use your gift and remember, not everyone has the same gift.

                                                                                Dr. Mike Rouse

What to do:  

      ✞Stir up the gift that is in you.

Remember Judgement is Coming

Bible Reading: Luke 16:19-31

Key Verse: Verse 25 - “But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.”

 Key Words: remember that thou 

You are more than likely familiar with the story of the rich man and Lazarus.  Both are heading for judgment.

The rich man is headed for the Great White Throne judgment.  His life on earth has been blessed, but he had rejected Jesus as Savior.  Lazarus, though, was headed for heaven.

Harry Ironside used to share the following story.

“One of the first gospel illustrations that ever made a real impression upon my young heart was a simple story which I heard a preacher tell when I was less than nine years old.

“It was of pioneers who were making their way across one of the central states to a distant place that had been opened up for homesteading.  They traveled in covered wagons drawn by oxen, and progress was necessarily slow.  One day they were horrified to notice a long line of smoke in the west, stretching for miles across the prairie, and soon it was evident that the dried grass was burning fiercely and coming toward them rapidly.  They had crossed a river the day before, but it would be impossible to go back to that before the flames would be upon them.  One man only seemed to have understood as to what could be done.  He gave the command to set fire to the grass behind them.  Then when a space was burned over, the whole company moved back upon it.

“As the flames roared on toward them from the west, a little girl cried out in terror, ‘Are you sure we shall not all be burned up?’  The leader replied, ‘My child, the flames cannot reach us here, for we are standing where the fire has been!’

“What a picture of the believer, who is safe in Christ!

On Him Almighty vengeance fell,

Which would have sunk a world to hell.

He bore it for a chosen race,

And thus become our Hiding Place.”

“The fires of God’s judgment burned themselves out on Him, and all who are in Christ are safe forever, for they are now standing where the fire has been.”

                                                                    Dr. Mike Rouse 

What to do:

      ✞Remember, judgment’s coming.  Are you ready?

  

Remember Thy Offerings

Bible Reading:  Psalm 20

Key Verse: Verse 3 - “Remember all thy offerings, and accept thy burnt sacrifice; Selah.”

 Key Words: Remember all thy offerings 

King David is the leader of Israel and is about to go to war.  So the people are remembering the Lord and King David as the kind of leaders they want to lead them during this time of crisis.

In verse 3 the people are remembering David to keep God first in their offerings.  The people wanted a king who put God first.

We don’t see much of that in public life today.  We have leaders who attend church and pay token allegiance to God.  We have yet to hear them stand up and say to the people: “We are faced with crisis after crisis in our nation.  We are going to give our report, then we are going to lead the nation in prayer, calling upon the Lord Jesus Christ to send a spiritual and national revival to this land.”  Politicians believe that it would not be politically expedient thing to do.  But they are wrong.  Now each of us need to remember God in all we do.

J. S. Bach said, “All music should have no other end and aim than the glory of God and the soul’s refreshment; where this is not remembered there is no real music but only a devilish hub-bub.”

He headed his compositions: “J.J.” “Jesus Juva” which means “Jesus help me.”  He ended them “S.D.G.” “Soli Dei gratia” which means “To God alone the praise.”

Isn’t that the way we all should think and live?

                                                                                Dr. Mike Rouse

What to do: 

      ✞Remember your offerings. 

Remember the Obedience

Bible Reading:  II Corinthians 7

Key Verse: Verse 15 - “And his inward affection is  more abundant toward you, whilst he remembereth the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling  ye received him.”

 Key Words: he remembereth the obedience of you  all 

Paul had sent Titus to Corinth to check on the church.  Paul was concerned that the church would not receive Titus because Paul had previously written them a stern letter of rebuke.  Paul rejoiced though when Titus reported back that the church did receive him.  So Paul says to the church in verse 15, “...whilst he [Titus] remembereth the obedience of you all....”

There is something special about someone who has a spirit of obedience. 

At a certain children’s hospital, a boy gained a reputation for wreaking havoc with the nurses and staff.  One day a visitor who knew about his terrorizing nature made him a deal: “If you are good for a week,” she said, “I’ll give you a dime when I come again.”  A week later she stood before his bed.  “I’ll tell you what,” she said, “I won’t ask the nurses if you behaved.  You must tell me yourself.  Do you deserve the dime?”

After a moment’s pause, a small voice from among the sheets said, “Gimme a penny.”

Mark Twain encountered a ruthless businessman from Boston during his travels who boasted that nobody ever got in his way once he determined to do something.  He said, “Before I die I mean to make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land.  I’m gonna climb Mount Sinai.  And when I’m up there I’m gonna read the Ten Commandments aloud at the top of my voice!”  Unimpressed, Twain responded, “I got a better idea.  Stay in Boston and keep ‘em.”

                                                                                         Dr. Mike Rouse

What to do:

✞Remember the obedient, and I might add, love and pray for the disobedient as well.

 

Remember the Deeds

Bible Reading:  III John

Key Verse: Verse 10 - “Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of  the church.”

Key Words: I will remember his deeds 

It almost sounds as if John...remember John, he is the apostle who wrote more about love than any of the others...is unloving and unforgiving when he says about Diotrephes, “I will remember his deeds.”  The truth is that love, while forgiving others, does rebuke and correct as well.

Revelation 3:19, “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten.”

I Peter 2:16, regarding Balaam we are told, “But was rebuked for his iniquity.”

So when John talks about remembering his deeds, I have little doubt that the Apostle John called his hand and rebuked him in love as well.  If you read verse 11 you will see that John doesn’t believe Diotrephes to be a saved man or at least very backslidden.  Either way, a rebuke given in anger would accomplish nothing.

John Wesley and a preacher-friend of plain habits were once invited to dinner where the host’s daughter, noted for her beauty, had been profoundly impressed by Wesley’s preaching.  During a pause in the meal, Wesley’s friend took the young woman’s hand and called attention to the sparkling rings she wore.  “What do you think of this, sir, for a Methodist hand?”

The girl turned crimson.  Wesley likewise was embarrassed, for his aversion to jewelry was only too well known.  But with a benevolent smile, he simply said, “The hand is very beautiful.”

Wesley’s remark both cooled the too-hot water poured by his friend and made the foot-washing gentle.  The young woman appeared at the evening service without her jewels and became a strong Christian.

We would do well when we remember the deeds of others not to simply rebuke, but to humbly rebuke in love.

                                                                                                            Dr. Mike Rouse 

What to do: 

            ✞Remember to rebuke in love.

Remember Them that have The Rule Over You

Bible Reading:  Hebrew 13:1-9

Key Verse: Verse 7 - “Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.”

 Key Words: Remember them which have the rule over you 

The word rule carries the idea of a leading position on authority.  While we often apply this to government leaders, the Scripture is clear that it is the spiritual leaders who are giving out God’s Word that the Lord has in mind.  Remember them, follow them, consider their conversation (manner of life).  One reason people often fail is they refuse to heed the spiritual leadership over them.

In U.S. Naval Institute Proceedings, the magazine of the Naval Institute, Frank Koch illustrates the importance of obeying the Laws of the Lighthouse.  Two battleships assigned to the training squadron had been at sea on maneuvers in heavy weather for several days.  I was serving on the lead battleship and was on watch on the bridge as night fell.  The visibility was poor with patchy fog, so the captain remained on the bridge keeping an eye on all activities.

Shortly after dark, the lookout on the wing reported, “Light, bearing on the starboard bow.” 

“Is it steady or moving astern?” the captain called out.

The lookout replied, “Steady, Captain,” which meant we were on a dangerous collision course with that ship.

The captain then called to the signalman, “Signal that ship: ‘We are on a collision course, advise you change your course twenty degrees.”

Back came the signal: “Advisable for you to change course twenty degrees.”

The captain said, “Send: ‘I’m a captain, change course twenty degrees.’”

“I’m a seaman second-class,” came the reply.  “You had better change course twenty degrees.”

By that time the captain was furious.  He spat out: “Send: ‘I’m a battleship.  Change course twenty degrees.’”

Back came the flashing light: “I’m a lighthouse.”

We changed course.

As well they should!!!!

                                                                                                 Dr. Mike Rouse 

 What to do:

            ✞Remember them which have the (spiritual) rule over you.

Remember His Marvellous Works

Bible Reading:  Psalm 105:1-13

Key Verse: Verse 5 - “Remember his marvellous works       that he hath done; his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth;”

Key Words: Remember his marvellous works 

The quote from our text came from the book of Deuteronomy 8:2, 18, and 24:9.  The challenge is that we are never to forget what God has done for us.

I define our memory in two ways.  Short-term memory is what we have when it comes to remembering what others have done for us.  Long-term memory is remembering what others have to do.

We are quick to forget all God has done for us.  So the psalmist reminded the people of Israel to remember God’s marvelous works. 

I believe the key to remembering the work of God is in direct proportion to our love for God.

A couple were on a newlywed show.  The host was asking the new husbands questions about the new brides.  One of the questions went like this: “Name one absolutely dumb thing your new bride has done.”  The first three husbands came up with some humorous but rather absurd things that their new wife had done, but the fourth contestant stunned everyone when he said, “I don’t know of anything dumb she’s done!”  The host replied, “I’m sure if you think hard enough, you’ll come up with something.”  To which the man replied, “I don’t think so.  You see, I love her so much all I can do is see the good she does.”

When you genuinely love God, you’ll realize all God does is for our good.  Thus we say, “I remember the marvelous works of God.”

                                                                                Dr. Mike Rouse                                                              

What to do:

      ✞Remember His marvelous works.

Remember What is Written

Bible Reading: John 2:1-17

Key Verse: Verse 17 – “And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.”

 Key Words: remembered that it was written 

John 2:17 is quoted from Psalm 69:9 and is a prophecy in that it prophesies about Jesus as He hangs on the cross.  His mind goes back to the beginning of His public ministry, when for the first time of His first official visit to Jerusalem, He cleansed the temple.  In John 2:17 we find the disciples remembering the words of the psalmist as they watch Jesus run the moneychangers from the temple.

The point is that we are not to just put God’s Word in our heads, but we are to hide it in our hearts.  Remember what was written.

While studying in the Holy Lands, a seminary professor of mine met a man who claimed to have memorized the Old Testament – in Hebrew!  Needless to say, the astonished professor asked for a demonstration.  A few days later they sat together in the man’s home.  “Where shall we begin?” asked the man.  “Psalm 1,” replied my professor, who was an avid student of the Psalms.  Beginning with Psalm 1:1, the man began to recite from memory, while my professor followed along in his Hebrew Bible.  For two hours the man continued word for word without a mistake as the professor sat in stunned silence.  When the demonstration was over, my professor discovered something even more astonishing about the man – he was an atheist!  Here was someone who knew the Scriptures better than most Christians ever will, and yet he didn’t even believe in God.

It’s not just the memorization of Scripture that is important; it’s a desire to hide God’s Word in our hearts that makes a difference.

                                                                                                            Dr. Mike Rouse 

What to do:

      ✞Remember what was written.

Remembering to Hold Fast

 Bible Reading: Revelation 3:1-6

 Key Verse: Verse 3  - “Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.”

 Key Words: Remember therefore...and hold fast 

The church at Sardis had a reputation that they were alive, but God said, “[thou] art dead.”  They had failed to hold fast, to be firmly established in their commitment to God.  They were dead because they had failed to keep a watch over the church, and it had slid far away from God.

Some years ago, during the days of the backyard clothesline poles, our girls, along with some neighborhood friends, were jumping and swinging on the clothesline pole when suddenly the pole broke off at the ground.  Now it’s up to me to fix this pole.  If I dig a hole and put the pole back down into the ground, the poles would be uneven, so I decided to get a bag of quick-dry cement and a concrete block.  I put the pole in the block, leveled it, and poured the cement into the block.  It’s then that I hear a voice coming from behind me, “It won’t work.”  It seems my neighbor had been watching me and felt obligated to give me his insight.  I thanked him and continued working.  Then I heard another voice – that of my neighbor beside me saying, “It won’t work.”  Again, I thanked him and continued to work.  It was then I felt someone staring at me.  I looked up to find another neighbor couple on their morning walk, looking at me from the street.  I looked at them and said, “I know, it won’t work.”  To which they replied, “That’s right!”

It may amaze you to know that that was twenty-nine years ago, and that clothesline pole is still standing today – twenty-nine years later!  It is still holding fast.

Today, there are those who say that putting God first will never work; but it will.  It has worked in my life now for years and will continue to work until God takes me home.  God is faithful.

                                                                                Dr. Mike Rouse

What to do: 

      ✞Remember to hold fast.

Remember Your Priorities

Bible Reading:   Revelation 2:1-7

Key Verse: Verse 5 - “Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.”

 Key Words: Remember therefore from whence  thou art fallen 

I attempt to teach others to properly prioritize their lives.  I list our life in three areas: first, we need to do that which is necessary; secondly, we need to do that which is needy; and last of all, we can spend time on that which is nice – but only after the necessary and needy are accomplished.

Revelation 2:1-7 was written to the church at Ephesus.  They had forgotten to put first things first, which was doing the work of God we are told in Matthew 6:33.

As a result of not putting God first, God told them He was going to put out their candlestick.  This can have a two-fold meaning.  It could mean they would lose their spiritual effectiveness, or it could mean that they would grope in darkness.  I personally believe it means both.

But the point is to put God first in your life, and your actions will always be right.

Clovis Chappell, a minister from a century back, used to tell the story of two paddleboats.  They left Memphis at about the same time, traveling down the Mississippi River to New Orleans.  As they traveled side by side, sailors from one vessel made a few remarks about the snail’s pace of the other.

Words were exchanged.  Challenges were made.  And the race began.  Competition became vicious as the two boats roared through the Deep South.

One boat began falling behind...not enough fuel.  There had been plenty of coal for the trip, but not enough for a race.  As the boat dropped back, an enterprising young sailor took some of the ship’s cargo and tossed it into the ovens.  When the sailors saw that the supplies burned as well as the coal, they fueled their boat with the material they had been assigned to transport.  They ended up winning the race but burned their cargo...because their priorities were wrong.

                                                                                        Dr. Mike Rouse

What to do: 

            ✞Remember to keep God your Number One priority.

Remember the Judgements of God

Bible Reading:   Psalm 119:49-56

Key Verse: Verse 52 - “I remembered thy judgments of old, O LORD; and have comforted myself.”                          

Key Words: I remembered thy judgments of old

 John Phillips writes: “Laws today are often made under pressure, they are often tentative, they often reflect compromise or social, economic, or political bias.  Lobbyists and interest groups significantly influence legislation.  We have hundreds of thousands of laws seeking to accomplish what God affected in Ten Commandments.  The psalmist, however, was not brought up in a land where legislation was at the mercy of the lobbyists.  He was brought up in a land where the law was mandated from heaven – handed down by God on two tables of stone, fixed and firm.  The law was therefore perfect.  The psalmist could comfort himself in the fact that God, who legislated such personal righteousness, public responsibility, and pure religion, was a God of wisdom, love, and power.  The law reflected God’s nature, just as our laws reflect our national character.  God’s laws reflect His character.  That was a comfort to the psalmist.  God’s laws reflect a holy and righteous God.”

Yet, on the other hand, the judgments of God also reflect His hatred for sin.  General William Booth used to say he wished every one of the soldiers in the Salvation Army could be held over hell for half an hour.  It was their driving horror of sin and its consequences that drove the Salvationists into the streets and slums of the world’s cities, to work miracles of grace.  If such horror would seize hold of us, maybe similar horror would seize hold of them, our loved ones and friends outside of Christ.  That would put them in a hurry to be saved.

We would all do well to remember the judgments of God.

                                                                                                        Dr. Mike Rouse

What to do:

      ✞Remember that everyone will stand before God to be judged: believers at the Judgment Seat of Christ, and unbelievers at The Great White Throne.

Remember the Sabbath

Bible Reading:  Exodus 20:1-8

Key Verse: Verse 8 - “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.”

Key Words: Remember the sabbath 

We, as Christians, don’t assemble together on the Sabbath (Saturday).  We do that (or we should do that) on the first day of the week.  The Sabbath was the Jews’ day of worship and rest.

J. Vernon McGee tells this story about a man who wanted to argue about the Sabbath.  The man said, “I’ll give you $100 if you will show me where the Sabbath day has changed.”  McGee answered, “I don’t think it has been changed.  Saturday is Saturday.  It is the seventh day of the week, and it is the Sabbath day.  I realize our calendar has been adjusted, and can be off a few days, but we won’t even consider that point.  The seventh day is still Saturday, and it is still the Sabbath day.”  He got a gleam in his eye and said, “Then why don’t you keep the Sabbath day if it hasn’t been changed?”  McGee answered, “The DAY hasn’t been changed, but I have been changed.  I’ve been given a new nature now, I am joined to Christ; I am part of a new creation.  We celebrate the first day because that is the day He arose from the grave.”  That is what it means that the ordinances have been nailed to the cross, Colossians 2:14.

So while the Jews were commanded to remember the Sabbath, we assemble together to celebrate Jesus, His life, death, but also His resurrection.

                                                                        Dr. Mike Rouse 

What to do:

      ✞Be at church every Sunday to rejoice in what Jesushas done for you through His life, death, and His resurrection.

P. S.  Dr. Lee Roberson used to say, “It takes three to thrive” – Sunday A.M., Sunday P.M. and Prayer Meeting.

 P. S. S.  I have a little saying that goes, “Three to thrive, two to survive, and one and you’re done.”