God's Wrath was Satisfied

God's Wrath was Satisfied
Preach the Word!!

Tuesday 22 September 2015

SATURDAY OR SUNDAY? Which is the day of Worship?



SATURDAY OR SUNDAY? Which is the day of Worship?
The aim of this article is to help anyone understand what the Bible teaches on this subject. Everything written is based on what the Scriptures teach. Reading all the Bible references which have been quoted will be the best way to get a clear understanding of what the article is teaching. So let your Bible be on your side as you read.
Some people worship on a Sunday while others worship on a Saturday. There is a lot of debate across the globe as which day God has given for worship. Those who worship on a Saturday say, “God has not given a direct command anywhere in the Bible that we should stop worshipping on the seventh day and start worshipping on Sunday.” They go on to say that God blessed the seventh day which is a Saturday and sanctified (made it holy) it and that the observance of the Sabbath is even among the Ten Commandments. None of the commandments have changed so why would anyone change the seventh day Sabbath to the first day when you cannot change the other commandments?  On the other hand those who worship on a Sunday say the early Church worshipped on the first day of the week which is a Sunday. They do it in honor of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus rose from the dead on the first day of the week and his disciples began to meet on the first day of the week in his honour (John 20:1,8; Acts 2:7; 1 Corinth 16:2) (Read the verses). This day, became known as the Lord’s Day (Rev 1:10) Read the verse. “That’s the reason we worship on a Sunday,” so goes the argument. So who is right? When should we worship?


Where then does the problem come in? How do we deal with the issue of Saturday and Sunday?
The finest way to answer this question is to ask ourselves "What does the word Sabbath mean?" When you carefully examine the Scriptures, Sabbath does not mean Sunday or Saturday or Seventh day. In Leviticus 23:26-32 (Read it), God calls the Day of Atonement, which took place on the tenth day of the Seventh month, a Sabbath day. If the word Sabbath means “seventh day” then why would God call the Day of Atonement, which happened on the tenth day, a Sabbath? This is proof that Sabbath does not mean seventh day.  Why would God call it a Sabbath if the day was the tenth day of the month and not the seventh day? God made days. He never gave the days names to say that the first day will be called Sunday or the Seventh day will called Saturday. I am yet to see in the Bible where it says “Saturday the seventh day of the week or Monday the second day of the week.” These are human decisions made to help with the managing of time. What you see instead from the Bible is that as God was creating the earth there was the first day, second day, third day, fourth day, fifth day, Sixth day and Seventh day. There is nothing like Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

The other thing is that when God created the universe, he rested on the seventh day and made it holy. Our question then is, what does the Bible mean when it says, “God rested?” Does it mean God got tired?  I don’t think so. If God got tired then he would cease to be God. Our God does not grow weary (Isa 40:28). Read the verse. The word rest means God was satisfied with his creation. I remember some time during my bachelorhood; I was so hungry that I stopped working. I decided to cook myself a meal.  I took my time. I boiled the chicken and dip fried it. I cut up the vegetables in their rightful size, cooked them, then prepared the soup and it was not long before the meal was set. I ate and had my fill and afterwards sat back and said to myself, “That was really good.” At that time, I “rested” from the cooking. I was not tired but was appreciating the goodness of the food. I was pleased with what I cooked.  That is what God did.  When the Bible says God rested it means he was satisfied or pleased with his creation. God was enjoying what he created. No wonder the word rest comes after the Bible says that all that God created was very good. If we say that God was tired then we are insulting him. We are saying he is not all powerful. We are saying he is like human beings who get tired.  So Sabbath does not mean seventh day or Saturday. It means a day of rest. It means a day when we can enjoy God in a restful way, a day when we adore him as the only one through whom we can find true satisfaction. This day must be different from all other days. This day must be a day that will be similar to the way God looked at his creation and was fully satisfied. In the same way, when we gather on that day for worship, we should do so as an expression of our satisfaction in God.  So the issue is not about Sunday or Saturday. It is about finding and expressing our spiritual satisfaction in God (finding our rest in God). Christians are commanded to meet regularly for fellowship (Heb 10:24-25, Acts 20:7) Read. That’s why there needs to be a day set aside when people are not working so that everyone can meet for fellowship. So apart from enjoying God in a restful way Christians must meet in order to fellowship (enjoy each others company), break bread and pray together.

After all that has been said, our question then is “Where can we find spiritual rest?” Remember we said that we must enjoy God in a restful way. So how do we do that without focusing on Saturday or Sunday? Is there anything that God has revealed in his word which can bring us spiritual satisfaction? I believe there is someone who gives us spiritual rest. Jesus does that. He is the one who said, "Come to me all you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke and learn from me... I will give you rest for your souls," Matt 11:28-29 (Read it).  So it should not be about Sunday or Saturday but about honoring the Lord Jesus Christ who shed his blood for our sins. We honor him by submitting to his Lordship. We repent of our sins and he in turn gives us a new life.  When we honor the Son, we honor the Father also. So, if you enjoy God in a restful way on a Saturday then go ahead. If it’s on a Sunday then go ahead. However, we need to be sure that we have found spiritual rest in Christ because God will not ask you whether you worshipped on a Saturday or a Sunday. That is not what will get you into heaven. Nonetheless, be assured that he will ask you what you did with the blood which his Son shed for you on cross. Paul says in Romans that, “One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God…” Romans 14:5-6.

After all that we have talked about we must remember that the apostles did not gather for worship on the Seventh day. If you read through the Scriptures, you will never find the apostles giving commands for people to worship on the Sabbath or Seventh Day. Read through Matthew to Revelation you won't find it. In fact what you see is Jesus together with the apostles condemning observance of the Sabbath because it burdened people instead of drawing them closer to God. The apostles talk more about worshiping on the first day of the week than observing the Sabbath.
Let me state also that worship is not reserved for a day. We must worship God every day. When we read our Bible in the morning or evening and pray to God we are worshiping. When we present our bodies as living sacrifices as Paul says, we worship God in a reasonable way. Amen.

Monday 18 May 2015

Marry Your Best Friend


Teenage life is full of dreams. One of the things that fill the mind of a teenager is career prospects. Young people dream of special careers. You never find any one adolescent hoping to become a garden boy or a plumber. They point out celebrities. “I want to be like that one,” they say. Another interesting topic of discussion during this phase of life is marriage. What kind of a lady will I marry? What will she look like? Will the man who marries me cook for me? Will he be opening doors for me before I come out of the car or enter a room? We all asked these questions at some point. The truth is that you should not be looking for someone who will open doors for you. You do not need someone who will be helping you sweep the house. If that's what you want then hire a maid or a servant. What you need is a companion suitable for you. You need a best friend.
On a magnet, the positive attracts the negative. In like manner, God designed men to be attracted to women and vice versa because they are different. Yes, different but equal. There is a friend, scripture tells us, who sticks closer than a brother. It makes it even better when you have a best friend who is also your husband or wife.  A best friend will tell you when he is upset. A best friend will tell you when your hair looks shaggy or your make up is too much. A best friend will rejoice with you when you succeed. A best friend always wants the best for you. A best friend wants to spend time with you. A best friend will love you sincerely. A best friend will gently rebuke you when necessary. A best friend will be kind to you. A best friend will respect you.
When God said let me make for Adam a companion suitable for him, he was creating a best friend for Adam. He was creating someone who would be attracted to Adam.  God was creating someone who would support Adam in his God given tasks. If she is your best friend, she will respect you. You don’t have to plead for her submission. If he is your best friend he will seek the best for you. He will protect and provide for you. You don’t have to ask him to open doors for you as you get into your car. He will do it because he cares. He is your best friend. If she is your best friend she will see to it that she helps you in your calling. Remember she is your best friend. She will stick closer than a brother.

If he is your best friend then you will agree with him at least on doctrinal grounds. It may not be everything but most of it. Amos asks a rhetoric question when he says, “Can two walk together unless they are agreed?” (Amos 3:3). Your best friend must agree with your personality. Your best friend will accept your flaws and seek to help you in them. Your best friend should be friends with someone greater and special.  He should be friends with Jesus. Marry your best friend.

Thursday 29 January 2015

My Idol Pastor

When Pastor X is preaching, the auditorium is filled to capacity but when Pastor Y is on the Pulpit, the Church building is almost empty. Why is it so? Could it be that Pastor Y is not articulate? Or is it that Pastor Y has not been to Bible College? Or maybe Pastor Y is only five years in the ministry? What could be the problem behind this reality which tearing the Churches? Note that I am not referring to health and wealth kind of preaching. I know that has its effects as well. In fact, it has done more harm. However, I am talking about sound expository preaching coming from sound doctrine. Why do we have people making choices as to which preacher they will listen to? My conclusion is that there is a particular sin which has blinded believers from appreciating other preachers.

I know that going to Bible school has a lot of advantages and many people who preach well can tell you that they have been greatly assisted by the studies they have gone through on individual level or university level. I can testify that I was helped to a great extend. Paul tells Timothy to study in order to show himself approved. Bible school is like pouring gasoline on fire. The person already has the passion to preach and adding knowledge to it makes the passion more visible.

I know also that people are gifted differently. There are some who are more gifted than others. I can sing and so can many other people but I cannot compare my singing to some people I know. When they sing, it’s just out of this world. I say, “Wow, that is so good. My heart has been warmed.”

I know also that some preachers have little dependence on the help of the Holy Spirit. Some also have lives that are morally wrong. God surely will not be pleased and later on work in such a life.

However, a lack or an absence of these things is not the only reason people shun to go to Church when Pastor Y takes up the pulpit. I noticed something that is encroaching into the Church. It is the sin of idolatry. Believers have made certain preachers to be their gods. They have said to themselves, “I can only be taught by Pastor X and he is the only one who can speak the truth.” The Church no longer holds the Scriptures with high esteem. People have become greater than the Scriptures. The Scriptures are not seen as God’s very word. It’s like that book title, “When God is small and people are BIG.” What we should know is that God can use anyone despite the level of giftedness. It is because we have told our minds and hearts that only preacher X is good enough. We don’t say it but we live it. This is a deadly sin. It is such sins that have led to people forsaking the assembling of believers together. The Church at Corinth was going through these difficulties of choosing which preacher to listen to. This is what Paul tells them: “What then is Appollos? What then is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Appollos watered, but God gave the growth…for we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building” 1 Corinth 3:5-9. In chapter four verse 1 he says, “This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.”


God can use anyone. If only we can cease to idolize certain preachers, we would see the work of God in the preaching of others.