Sabbath Rest---Deep Waters

Sabbath Scripture
He reached down from heaven and rescued me; He drew me out of deep waters. Psalm 18:16

Sabbath Prayer
Father of my Lord and Savior, Abba Father upon Your Holy Name I have called and You heard my cry; My cry for salvation, my cry for peace, my cry for love and my cry for joy. You gave me what I longed for and so much more, reaching down from heaven You gave me You. To you O Lord I offer my praise, my worship, and my thanks, in the Name of Jesus I pray.

Sabbath Study
Have you ever found yourself drowning in the issues of life? The more you seek to pull yourself out of the deep the further down you appear to sink. The winds and waves toss about you life becomes overwhelming and you are not sure what to do. Having done everything in your power with no change you finally call upon the Lord. Isn’t it funny no matter how many times God rescues us we still do not turn to Him first in our times of troubles. No matter how many times He shows Himself strong and mighty we still believe we have the power to bring change. We are much like Peter whom Jesus had shown Himself mighty and powerful, but yet Peter doubted Jesus was able. Peter with the other disciples witness Jesus calm the storms “Peace Be Still,” suddenly the winds stopped and there was a great calm (Mark 4:39). Peter was also an eyewitness when Jesus fed the 5000. Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, look upward toward heaven, and blessed them. Then, breaking the loaves into pieces, He kept giving the bread to the disciples so they could distribute it to the people. He also divided the fish for everyone to share. They all ate as much as they wanted, and afterward, the disciples picked up twelve baskets of leftover bread and fish. A total of 5000 men and their families were fed from those loaves! (Mark 6:41-42, the NLT Chronological Bible) Immediately after this miraculous event in fact the same night Peter was called upon to put His trust in the Lord. “Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves. About 3:00 in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, “It’s a ghost!” But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!” Then Peter called to Him, “Lord, if it’s really you tell me to come to you, walking on the water.” “Yes, come, “Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted. Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith.” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?” When they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped. Then the disciples worshiped Him. “You really are the Son of God!” they exclaimed. (Matthew 14:24-32 the NLT Chronological Bible)
Jesus shows us over and over He is more than enough, giving more than we ask
yet when the deep waters come we are like Peter we take our eyes off Him and we look at circumstances rather than the One who is able to change our situation. The result; we keep sinking deeper and deeper into our issues. Jesus says come to me and I will give you rest. Jesus says I am the Light in the midst of darkness. Jesus says cast all your anxiety on me. Jesus says I came that you might have life more abundantly. Jesus says don’t be afraid, have courage. Jesus says I am your all and all yet we doubt, putting faith to shame, making it a liar. Sadly, Peter is our reality, the state we operate in most days, sinking in spite of our witness, letting the deep waters of fear, shame, guilt, unworthiness, lack of discipline, impulsiveness, debts, denial, the past and brokenness overcome us. Glory to God, He does not leave us when we come to our senses. “Save me, Lord!” Peter (we) shouted (shout) Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him (grabs us). He puts us back in the boat; the winds and waves stop. Now we worship, giving glory and praise to God, for once again He reaches down from heaven and rescue us; He draws us out of deep waters.(Psalm 18:16)

Sabbath Reflection
Have you ever shamed faith, making it a liar?
How do you respond when in deep waters?
Have you really learn to keep your eyes on Jesus and His power rather than your circumstances?

Prayer
Lord, may I always trust in You. Help me to keep my eyes upon You no matter how deep the waters become. Let me never shame You with doubts, let me walk not in fear but always in the power of Your powerful hand; always exclaiming Jesus, the Son of God. In Jesus Name, Amen

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Spiritual Sunday----The Temple

Sabbath Scripture
She never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshipping God with fasting and prayer. Luke 2:37a

Sabbath Prayer
Father God to You I offer thanks. For thy wondrous blessings I give thanks dear God. To your Holy and Mighty name I offer praise. I give You Praise O lord because You are God most holy and wise, full with grace and thy faithfulness surrounds you and is unfailing. Father I ask You to guide me into Your holy Presence and cleanse me of all my wickedness and all unrighteousness. Make me a temple Lord worthy of Your Presence. In Jesus Name I pray.

Sabbath Study

We are the temple of God, created for His good purpose. “Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16) It is hard for some of us to grasp this great truth. We believe we are our own and have a right to live life as we please. We forget “everything comes from God and exists by His power and is intended for His glory.” (Romans 11:36 paraphrased) There is one who understood she was God’s temple and she dedicated the greater part of her life to serving Him. Her name is Anna, and she never left the Temple, but stayed there day and night. Can you imagine yourself in the church day and night? Your first thought is probably no when we consider today’s church. I challenge you to look beyond the church building we visit each Sunday, but look at the temple which is closer, your body, the sacred temple of the Living God. We never leave the body but do we remain in the temple day and night, the part of us which houses the Holy Spirit? In this fast pace busy world, lives filled with to do lists that are never ending how does one remain in the temple day and night? We must remove our spirit from the world, keeping our heart and mind in tune with the Lord. The goal is for all of them to become one heart and mind - Just as you, Father, are in me and I in you. So they might be one heart and mind with us. (John 17:21) We must learn to be with God no matter what activities we are involved. Jesus is our great role model and teacher in this matter. His life was busy, He had much work to do but He was able to be with God regardless of His daily assignments; I and the Father are one heart and mind." (John 10:30) They were in constant communication; Jesus spent much time in prayer. After sending them off, he climbed a mountain to pray. (Mark 6:47) At about that same time he climbed a mountain to pray. He was there all night in prayer before God. (Luke 6:12) Anna devoted her life to prayer day and night. The result of her devotion, she was able to recognize the Savior the moment she laid eyes upon Him. “She came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph, and she began praising God.” (Luke 2: 38) Scripture does not tell us Anna was filled with the Spirit, it does however tell she was a prophet and thus through the Spirit she was able to recognize the Lord. We have this same Spirit to enable us to be one with the Father and the Son, of the same mind and heart. Prayer is essential to developing a heart and mind that is one with the Lord. Than we will find ourselves able to talk with God at all times, our hearts will speak for us even in the midst of life.

She never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshipping God with fasting and prayer.
Take another look at Anna not only did she choose prayer as her method of worship she kept her personal temple pure with fasting. Fasting from food is a personal behavior chosen to be done as directed by the Holy Spirit. God calls us to another type of fast, one which will help to build our sacred temple into a pleasing and acceptable dwelling for the Lord.
Help your sister whose soul is imprisoned by wrongs of her past or who is bound in chains by the enemy. Share your food with the hungry, give shelter to the homeless, give clothes to those who need them, stop hiding from your relatives who stand in need of help, stop gossiping and help those in trouble.
(See Isaiah 58: 1-10 paraphrased) Fast from judgments, confusion, chaos, lying to self and others, greed, sexual immorality, strife, pride, overspending, selfishness, laziness, jealousy, envy, time wasters, people who add nothing to your life-poor relationships. There is much we can fast.
It is interesting in chapter 58 of Isaiah in which God address fasting He tells us to “Keep the Sabbath Day holy." Don’t pursue your own interests on that day, but enjoy the Sabbath and speak of it with delight as the Lord’s holy day. Honor the Sabbath in everything you do on that day, and don’t follow your own desires or talk idly.” Fast from those things which do not keep your Sabbath holy, bringing honor and glory to God. Daily if we focus on creating a temple which brings glory to God we will eventually enter His Presence on the Sabbath without focus on our needs and desires but with a focus on ministering to God, worshipping God, uplifting and magnifying His Holy Name.

To create temple space we must know God intimately. We must understand God’s way and His will. We must know His voice. To become an Anna, never to leave our temple we must rely on the power of the Holy Spirit. It is only through the Spirit can we become the woman God called us to be; a living and holy sacrifice.

Sabbath Reflection
How are you one with the Father and the Son?
Do you remain in your temple day and night? Sacred space where you are constantly connected with God?
From what things do you need to fast?
Do you recognize when you are in the Presence of the Savior?

Deeper Study
Read Luke 2:36-39
Isaiah 58 NLT

Prayer

Father God make me into a temple which is one with You and the Son. Lord help me to create temple space with prayer and fasting which is pleasing to You according to Your word. May the power of the Holy Spirit bring me to intimacy with you, In Jesus Name, Amen.

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