The Sabbath

"Remember" is placed at the very beginning of the fourth commandment for a reason. God knew that people were going to forget this important commandment. The Sabbath day is to be devoted to the service of God. 

Friday the preparation day: 

All preparation for the Sabbath should be completed on Friday. 

• Sabbath clothes should be ready. 
• Food should be prepared (simple food).
• Bath's taken (cleanliness). 
• The house should be clean. (don't you want angles to abide in a clean place?) 

Another thing to remember before sunset: 

• All differences between brethren, whether in the family or in the church, should be put away. 

_________________________________________________________________________________

The Sabbath begins with the family at worship: 

• Before sunset, the members of the family should welcome the Sabbath with reading God's word, singing and praying. 

_________________________________________________________________________________

Sabbath hours are not ours but God's

We have six days to do work, but the seventh day, God has reserved only to himself. It's a day where we lay aside all our secular matters and center our thoughts upon God and heaven. 

_________________________________________________________________________________

When the Sabbath commences:

• We should place a guard upon ourselves, upon our acts, and our words. 
• Work should not be done that gets done throughout the week (six days). 
• No conversing about worldly things. 
• Put your mind and heart wholly upon heavenly things and God. 

_________________________________________________________________________________

Sabbath time is too precious to sleep away

No one should be so absorbed in their temporal interests through the week that when the Sabbath day comes, they have no strength or energy to give to the service of God. 

• We are robbing the Lord when we unfit ourselves to worship Him upon His holy day.
• Let not the precious hours of the Sabbath be wasted in bed. 

_________________________________________________________________________________

Sabbath attire

Many need instruction as to how they should appear in the assembly for worship on the Sabbath. They are not to enter the presence of God in the common clothing worn during the week. All should have a special Sabbath suit, to be worn when attending service in God’s house. While we should not conform to worldly fashions, we are not to be indifferent in regard to our outward appearance. We are to be neat and trim, though without adornment. The children of God should be pure within and without.

_________________________________________________________________________________

Sabbath food:

• Should not be a more liberal supply or a greater variety of food than for other days. 
• The food should be simple.
• Less should be eaten in order that the mind may be clear and vigorous to comprehend spiritual things. (overeating befogs the brain.) 

_________________________________________________________________________________

Sabbath should be a delight!

The Sabbath should be made the sweetest, the most blessed day of the week!!

All who love God should do what they can to make the Sabbath a delight, holy and honorable. They cannot do this by seeking their own pleasure in sinful, forbidden amusements. Yet they can do much to exalt the Sabbath in their families and make it the most interesting day of the week. We should devote time to interesting our children. A change will have a happy influence upon them. We can walk out with them in the open air; we can sit with them in the groves and in the bright sunshine, and give their restless minds something to feed upon by conversing with them upon the works of God, and can inspire them with love and reverence by calling their attention to the beautiful objects in nature.

Fun and pure Christian recreation ideas ( click on bottom picture!)  

The Sabbath should be made so interesting to our families that its weekly return will be hailed with joy. In no better way can parents exalt and honor the Sabbath than by devising means to impart proper instruction to their families and interesting them in spiritual things, giving them correct views of the character of God and what He requires of us in order to perfect Christian characters and attain to eternal life. Parents, make the Sabbath a delight, that your children may look forward to it and have a welcome in their hearts for it.

Closing the Sabbath

As the sun goes down, let the voice of prayer and the hymn of praise mark the close of the sacred hours and invite God’s presence through the cares of the week of labor.

__________________________________________________

As you have read, the Sabbath is a very important day. And it should be respected and regarded as a very holy day. A day that God want's us to rest in Him. A day that we should try our most hardest to give God all the attention. We should all strive to make the Sabbath a delight, because that's what God intended it to be. HAPPY SABBATH TO ALL!!

Blessings from your sister in Christ,

Zipporah. 

SOURCES:  

Ellen white writings: CG CH. 78 

Pictures: Google images!!