Preparing for the Holy Day

Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Exodus 20:8.
At the very beginning of the fourth commandment the Lord said, “Remember.” He knew that amid the multitude of cares and perplexities man would be tempted to excuse himself from meeting the full requirement of the law, or would forget its sacred importance. Therefore He said: “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.”
All through the week we are to have the Sabbath in mind and be making preparation to keep it according to the commandment….
When the Sabbath is thus remembered, the temporal will not be allowed to encroach upon the spiritual. No duty pertaining to the six working days will be left for the Sabbath. During the week our energies will not be so exhausted in temporal labor that on the day when the Lord rested and was refreshed we shall be too weary to engage in His service….
On Friday let the preparation for the Sabbath be completed. See that all the clothing is in readiness and that all the cooking is done…. The Sabbath is not to be given to the repairing of garments, to the cooking of food, to pleasure seeking, or to any other worldly employment. Before the setting of the sun let all secular work be laid aside and all secular papers be put out of sight. Parents, explain your work and its purpose to your children, and let them share in your preparation to keep the Sabbath according to the commandment.
There is another work that should receive attention on the preparation day. On this day all differences between brethren, whether in the family or in the church, should be put away. Let all bitterness and wrath and malice be expelled from the soul. In a humble spirit, “confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another.”
Before the setting of the sun let the members of the family assemble to read God’s Word, to sing and pray.
We should jealously guard the edges of the Sabbath. Remember that every moment is consecrated, holy time.
The Faith I Live By p. 34
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Prayer Requests
—–Please pray for God’s comfort for my sister. Her boyfriend died this morning. His sister also needs comfort from God. Sandi
—–Please pray for two of my friends. They both have severe health problems. Patricia
—–Please, please pray for my Family and the residents of Ventura, CA. They are threatened by fire and wind gust up to 40-60 mph . My sister and husband house is close to the fire. They have no power. Heather
—–I would appreciate prayers for a really bad toothache. The last time I had one like this they had to do a root canal without the benefit of novocain because the infection was so bad it wouldn’t work. It put me out of commission for several days but I’m a caregiver and still must care for my disabled husband. Please pray that the Lord give me the strength I need to see this through again. Kathy
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Dear Friends,
After having worked for a certain guitar manufacturer for many years, my mother was laid off from work. This was something that the new owners of the business did to all of the older employees to keep from having to pay more pension to them. First, they studied each worker who had been there for many years and put them on jobs that it was physically impossible for them to do.
They noticed that my mother was not at all muscular. She had worked as an adjuster/inspector for years. It was easy work. When the guitar was finished, she gave it a visual inspection, tuned it and played it. If it met their specifications, she passed it. If not, she sent it to someone who would repair it. She was very happy at that job.
One day, they took her to a large sanding machine and told her that she would be working there from then on. She had to lift wide, heavy boards and place them in the sander, walk around to the other side, flip them over so they could be sanded the other direction. This job was beyond her strength, but she had no choice. She was still too young to retire. Day after day, she worked beyond her strength. Finally, after months of this treatment, they laid her off permanently. This meant that she would not get a good pension when she did retire. It was grossly unfair, but there was nothing that could be done about it.
Since that time, I have heard of other companies using the same tactics against their employees. Well does James exclaim, “Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten. Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days. Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth. Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.” James 5:1-5 Paul adds, “the love of money is the root of all evil.” 1 Tim 6:10