Sabbath vs. Sunday Worship

"Justin Martyr stated, "We all gather on the day of the sun" (recalling both the creation of light and the resurrection); he stated that Sabbath was enjoined as a sign to Israel because of Israel's sinfulness, no longer needed after Christ came without sin." Wikipedia "Sabbath in Chrisitianity"
What was predicted in Ezekiel?
And he brought me into the inner court of the LORD'S house, and, behold, at the door of the temple of the LORD, between the porch and the altar, were about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the temple of the LORD, and their faces toward the east; and they worshipped the sun toward the east. Ezekiel 8:16
What will the Little Horn of Daniel do?
.........and think to change times and laws: Daniel 7:25
For example, the Council of Laodicea (canon 29) states Christians must not Judaize by resting on Sabbath but must work that day and then if possible rest on the Lord's Day and any found to be Judaizers are anathema from Christ. Wikipedia
Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work,... Exodus 20:8,10

Above, NOT Below

Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. Colossians 3:2

The Catholic Mass and why Protestants find it offensive

"Christ becomes wholly and really present under the forms of bread and wine, and He is offered to God by the Catholic priest for the remission of sins, by means of eating the Host (Christ's body) and drinking the Wine (Christ's blood). This doctrine is strongly reflected in that part of the Pre-Vatican II Tridentine Mass called the Offertory, where the Priest offers the bread (the Host or "hostia", meaning "victim") with the following prayer: "Receive...almighty and everlasting God, this spotless Host, which I thine unworthy servant now offer unto thee... for my countless sins, wickedness and neglect; and for all those here present, as also for all the faithful in Christ, both the quick and the dead, that it may set forward their salvation and mine, unto life everlasting. Amen." He likewise offers the wine using similar language." Wikipedia

The human Priest cannot 1) Offer up our Lord as a sacrifice-He already did that Himself on the Cross. 2) He cannot intervene on our behalf-your salvation is between you & God alone 3) The "quick and the dead" means the living and the dead.

During the Reformation Luther opposed the Mass because - "What he objects to is the claim that Christ is at our disposal to be made into an object that can be presented to God in order to gain his favors. It is that which damages both the sovereignty of Christ and the complete character of his work on the cross." Issues,etc. Luther and the Mass

We already have a High Priest in Heaven ministering on our behalf. Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. Hebrews 4:14 We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; Hebrews 8:1

NO HUMAN CAN OFFER UP A SACRIFICE FOR US

Reserved in Heaven for YOU

To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, 1 Peter 1:4

Ask God to do this

Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalms 139:23,24

Holy Spirit

If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? Luke 11:13

Wherefore as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: Hebrews 3:7,8

The Cross

For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. 1Corinthians 1:18

Speak the truth about your neighbors

These are the things that ye shall do; Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates: And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith the LORD. Zechariah 8:16,17

Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. Ephesians 4:25

Good will toward men

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. Luke 2:13,14

The word shall stand FOREVER

The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever. Isaiah 40:7,8

Many armies have marched around the world. Kingdoms have risen and fallen. But the Word of God endures around the globe.

Circle of the Earth

Bible said earth was a circle while many thought the earth was flat and straight....

It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in: Isaiah 40:22

Paul says Practice What You Preach

And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness, An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law. Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal? Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege? Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God? Romans 2:19-23

Our heart is responsible

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? Jeremiah 17:9

It isn't primarily our genes, parents, surrounding environment or other things that make us bad. It is OUR own heart. We are NOT good people who sometimes do bad things---we are bad people who sometimes do good things.

For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man. Mark 7:21-23

Hearken unto Him

The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken; Deuteronomy 18:15

....and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. Matthew 17:5

A Pattern of God's Judicial Proceedings?

A Pattern of God's Judicial Procedure?--Sin/Investigation/Judgement

And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him,

1) Where art thou?

2) Who told thee that thou wast naked?

3) Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? Genesis 3:9,11

God announces the Verdict: Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Genesis 3:16,17

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And the LORD said unto Cain,

1) Where is Abel thy brother?

2) What hast thou done? Genesis 4:9,10

God announces the Verdict: And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand; Genesis 4:11

His way is in the Sanctuary

Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a God as our God? Psalms 77:13

Honour and majesty are before him: strength and beauty are in his sanctuary. Psalms 96:6

City of David

But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. Micah 5:2

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:11

Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was? John 7:42

Paul quoting from Luke?

Paul was already quoting from Luke as Scripture....

For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward. 1 Timothy 5:18

....... for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house. Luke 10:7

Steps to Christ (book)

1) God's Love For Man - "Nature and revelation alike testify of God's love". p. 1

2) The Sinners Need of Christ - "Such is still the condition of the unrenewed heart. It is not in harmony with God, and finds no joy in communion with Him. The sinner could not be happy in God's presence;...Could he be permitted to enter heaven, it would have no joy for him". p. 7

3) Repentance - "Many are asking the same question as did the multitude on the Day of Pentecost, when convicted of sin, they cried out "What shall we do?" The first word of Peter's answer was "Repent".....Repentance includes sorrow for sin and a turning away from it." p.14

4) Confession - "The confession that is the outpouring of the inmost soul finds its way to the God of infinite pity". p. 24

5) Consecration - "The government of God is not, as satan would make it appear, founded upon a blind submission. ...It appeals to the intellect and the conscience. Come now and let us reason together is the Creator's invitation". p. 27

6) Faith & Acceptance - "Do not wait to feel that you are whole, but say, I believe it; it is so, not because I feel it, but because God has promised". p. 33

7) The Test of Discipleship - "We do not earn salvation by our obedience; for salvation is the free gift of God, to be recieved by faith. But obedience is the fruit of faith". p. 41

8) Growing Up Into Christ - "All that Christ was to His disciples, He desires to be to His children today". p. 51

9) The Work and the Life - "Strength comes by exercise; activity is the very condition of life. Those who endeavor to maintain Christian life by passively accepting the blessings that come through the means of grace, and doing nothing for Christ, are simply trying to live by eating without working. And in the spiritual as in the natural world, this always results in degeneration and decay". p. 55

10) A Knowledge of God - "But htere is but little benefit derived from a hasty reading of the scriptures. One may read the whole Bible through and yet fail to see its beauty or comprehend its deep meaning". p. 62

11) The Privilege of Prayer - "Prayer does not bring God down to us, but brings us up to Him". p. 64

12) What to do with Doubt - "....the real cause of doubt and skepticism, in most cases, is the love of sin. The teachings and restrictions of God's word are not welcome to the proud and sin-loving heart, and those who are unwilling to obey its requirements are ready to doubt its authority". p.79

13) Rejoicing in the Lord - "....there is joy in heaven in the presence of God and the holy angels over one soul redeemed". p. 90

A Quote to Summarize the whole Book- "Many will be lost while hoping to be Christians. They do not come to the point of yielding the will to God. They do not choose to be Christians". p. 31

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. Revelation 3:20

The Wicked-sound familiar?

And it shall come to pass at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with candles, and punish the men that are settled on their lees: that say in their heart, The LORD will not do good, neither will he do evil. Zephaniah 1:12

The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts. Psalms 10:4

Zephaniah 3 (Prophetic Points)

*In Revelation the Chrisitan Churches are "Babylon" (a city) which refers to their many denominations of false doctrines. Babel means confusion and Babylon means city of confusion. Here, Zephaniah refers to it as a polluted city too. Woe to her that is filthy and polluted, to the oppressing city! Zephaniah 3:1
*Here was her downfall- She obeyed not the voice; she received not correction; she trusted not in the LORD; she drew not near to her God. Zephaniah 3:2
*3 Points about her leaders- 1) Her prophets are light and treacherous persons: 2) her priests have polluted the sanctuary, 3) they have done violence to the law. Zephaniah 3:4 (1) They can't be trusted 2) the have polluted by bringing in false doctrines & 3) They have violated at least part of HIS Law-think about the 4th commandment as an example)
*And what about the "Remanant"? The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; Zephaniah 3:13 ( 1) They do no "iniquity" (sin) as a group, and what is sin? (iniquity), It is transgression of His Law. So they must keep His Law-all of it. And 2) They have the Truth-since they, as a group, don't "lie".)
*His Promise- The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing. Zephaniah 3:17

Wonderful, Counsellor

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: Luke 1:32

One way not to decieve yourself

But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. James 1:22

DNA proves we are of one blood

And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; Acts 17:26

As Filthy Rags

But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. Isaiah 64:6

The PROMISE

For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him. Isaiah 64:4