2012-08-06T14:29:47-05:00 GCI info@gospel.com /feeds/topics/sabbath/ http://hutchcraft.com/a-word-with-you/your-hard-times/freeing-the-slaves-6665 2012-08-06T14:29:47-05:00 You know, in our world today we are like all accelerator and no brakes. We're living lives without Sabbaths. They're supposed to be part of the created order of God. http://hutchcraft.com/a-word-with-you/your-personal-power/always-time-for-a-time-out-6371 2011-06-13T14:59:44-05:00 When you exercise the faith to take your time out each week, your judgment improves, your energy goes up, your creativity is greater, your confidence is greater, your personality's better to be around, and you return to your responsibilities a better you. http://gospel.com/blog/index.php/2009/11/04/do-you-take-a-regular-sabbath/ 2009-11-04T10:18:12-05:00 On the seventh day of the Creation story, God took a sabbath and rested from His work. Later, keeping a sabbath was included in the ten commandments. Rest is clearly an important activity, but I’d argue that in the Western world we don’t do a great job of emphasizing how important it really is. What about you though? Do you take a regular sabbath? http://biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2028:1&version=NIV 2009-09-25T11:14:45-05:00 Sunday was the day that Mary and the other followers of Jesus went to visit his tomb, only to find that he had risen from the grave! Many Christians today worship on the first day of the week in commemoration of this event. http://biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%202:2&version=NIV 2009-09-24T16:10:03-05:00 On the seventh day of "Creation week," God rested from His work. In doing so, He set the pattern for us to follow--a week of work followed by a day of rest and contemplation. http://biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus%2020:8-11&version=NIV 2009-09-18T10:52:39-05:00 As a reminder of the seventh day of creation, when God rested from His work, God instituted the Sabbath day as the one day of the week that the Israelites were to keep holy. On the Sabbath, they were to focus on God and abstain from their regular work. http://hutchcraft.com/a-word-with-you/your-mission/hitting-pause-5881 2009-09-11T11:01:06-05:00 It's possible that God's been trying to say some very important things to you, things that would bring sense to your swirling world, but you can't hear Him because you're running so fast. Whatever the reason for your non-stop pace, I know there has to be someone listening right now to whom God is saying, "It's time to hit 'pause.'" Don't ignore His call to "be still and know that He is God." http://biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2013:10-13&version=NIV 2009-09-03T14:29:41-05:00 Jesus spent a lot of time in synagogues. In this particular passage in Luke, Jesus was teaching in a synagogue and noticed a crippled woman. He called her forward and healed her immediately and she began praising God. http://hutchcraft.com/A-Word-With-You/Your-Most-Important-Relationship/Hurried-Worried-and-Blurry-4643 2008-08-25T13:55:46-05:00 God designed us to work six days a week - not seven - and to focus on worship and rest one day out of seven. Like a car, we can't be all accelerator and no brakes or we'll be out of control and will ultimately crash. The Sabbath principle is the brakes that our creator has built into our lives to keep that from happening. http://hutchcraft.com/A-Word-With-You/Your-Relationships/Accelerators-Without-Brakes-4153 2008-08-18T14:02:06-05:00 Jesus is, of course, referring to God's command to have a weekly sabbath - a day that is "for the Lord your God," according to the Ten Commandments. "On it you shall not do any work." (Exodus 20:10) Now, I know some Christians debate which day should be the Sabbath; please don't send me letters and booklets and verses about that - a lot of folks already have! What I'm talking about here is the Sabbath principle - that God has built into our creation a regular time for rest, for recovery, for spiritual renewal. In fact, it is important enough that God made it the focus of one of His Ten Commandments!