This article is written for those who want to learn and walk in God’s way – it is not intended for arguments. It is written to share with you what the Lord Jesus through the Bible and many face to face encounters has taught the Holy Fire ministry and many of His servants in regard to the Sabbath, the Lord’s Day.
The Lord’s Day
The term the Lord’s Day will be interchangeably used with the term Sabbath. Hebrews 7:12 “For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well.” The change in the Levitical priesthood took place when Jesus from the tribe of Judah became our High Priest – before then, priests could only come through the tribe of Levi. “For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, and in connection with that tribe Moses said nothing about priests.” Hebrews 7:14.
Jesus resurrected on the day following the Sabbath, also known as the first day of the week which in our modern language is Sunday. On the first day of the week, the firstborn from the dead was resurrected! This day came to be known as the Lord’s Day because on it the Lord was resurrected.
Matthew 28:1 Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave. Luke 24:1 But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared.
Our church had the privilege to meet the Lord Jesus in a face to face encounters. These encounters took place from 2013 to 2014. When I met the Lord face to face, among the first conversations we had together, He strictly told us to observe all God's commandments and especially not to forget the 4th command:
“Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. “Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God; in it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your female servant or your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you. “For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day and made it holy." Exodus 20:8-11
There are times in our gathering when the presence of the Lord comes, over and over again, the Lord emphasizes that we must observe His laws and command if we want to enter life. If You Want to Enter Life, Keep the Commandments (Matthew 19:17)
“Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. “For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished." (Matthew 5:16-18)
The Lord did not say anything about Jews who observe the Sabbath on Saturday, therefore we will not touch that subject. The punishment of those who do not observe God’s laws and commands are real after the knowledge of truth is hell. Here is an excerpt from a Fire book series.
[“Jesus showed me a group of souls in a specific part of hell, and said, “Among these souls are some who participated in a cult. There are some who were alcoholics and some who treated the Sabbath or Sunday carelessly. On Sundays they would spend money for their pleasure. Most of these people are here for not keeping Sundays Holy. There are some who ran businesses and assumed that the Lord would forgive them. They were deceived.” I saw countless numbers of deacons, deaconesses, and pastors from all races in hell.
As a matter of fact, only a few saints made it to heaven that did not keep Sundays properly. And on the contrary, there was an over flowing number of saints in hell for not keeping Sundays holy. The Lord commanded, “Look at those souls! Those souls did not consider My Day with much relevance. They made My Day unclean. Look very closely.” We were in total shock from what we saw. Christians were in hell, shouting in anguish and being tormented. After witnessing this scene, I concentrated on repenting for not keeping Sundays Holy in every way”.]
Why Services on Sunday?
A. To celebrate the Lord’s resurrection day After Jesus’ resurrection, Christians (Jesus Christ’s followers) began to congregate to celebrate the Lord’s Day. In 1 Corinthians 16:2 Paul instructs believers to bring in their tithes and offering on the first day of the week. This is one of the proofs that show believers met on the Lord’s Day (Sunday). These believers did not meet on that day because it was instituted by the Romans.
Acts 20:7 And on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached to them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.
1 Corinthians 16:2 On the first day of every week each one of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper, so that no collections be made when I come.
First century believers called it the Lord’s Day. “I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet.” Revelation 1:10
B. It is the birthday of the Spirit filled church
Pentecost in Acts 2:1 was the first day of the Week (Sunday). Pentecost always fell on the first day of the week (see Leviticus 23:15-16). So "When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place." (Acts 2:1). The first spirit church to ever meet congregated on the Lord’s Day, on the Day of Pentecost, they were all together in one place and in one accord and they received the baptism of the Holy Spirit and fire and started speaking in tongues.
If You Want to Enter Life, Keep the Commandments (Matthew 19:17)
Jesus said that if you want to enter life, keep the commandments. Exodus 20:8 "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy”. Observing the Lord’s Day is not a new commandment but it is the 4th of the 10 commandments, which God wrote with His own finger on the tablet and gave it to Moses for the children of Israel to observe. Keeping the Sabbath day holy carries the same weight as other commandments such as “you shall not murder”, “You shall have no other gods before me.” At the same time, the punishment of breaking the 4th commandment is the same as breaking other God’s commandments.
Keeping the Sabbath day Holy is not something new. The Bible tells us that by the seventh day God completed His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made. (Genesis 2:2, 3). We were created in God’s image, if God the Father observed the Sabbath, how much more for us who are mortals?
10 Commandments, but Which Ones were abolished by Jesus?
Matthew 5: 17“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. 19Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus never broke the Sabbath. The Pharisees said he did but don’t we know the spirit that was working through them? God’s children must observe God’s laws and commands. Do not assume that God would not carry out His Word, that He will understand. Remember that God is a righteous judge. “the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day.”, John 12:48.
Exodus 20:8 "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9"Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10but the seventh day is a Sabbath of the LORD your God; [in it] you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your female servant or your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you. 11"For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
As the Sabbath day is observed in the beginning of God’s creation, so it must be observed even in the end times. Matthew 24:20 “Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath".
A Day of Preparation
There is a day of preparation (John 19:31). On Saturday, it is a day of preparation. We do groceries and all needed shopping, prepare the meal as needed. You will find out that when you prepare for it in advance you observe it better. We fill up our cars with gas, get money we need from the bank for the purpose of tithes and offering etc... Those who don’t have cars arrange for rides as well.
We drive our cars or walk to the place of worship. Those who don’t drive and have no rides should not hesitate to take a bus to fulfill God’s law and commands (Matthew 12:12)
There can be many questions and different situation, please follow the leading of the Holy Spirit because some places must open to do what is good. One Sunday my son had a severe allergy that I had to take him to emergency room. Remember, it is on what is on our heart, are we intending to break God’s law, are we giving excuses to do our own will, are we saving lives, are we doing what is good in the sight of God?
At Blazing Holy Church, on Sunday, we spend most of our day at church. Our service is long, we don’t rush anything – God blesses us mightily. The anointing of Sunday is very special unlike any other days! We don’t sell any items. After the service, we eat together as a church family. Some of us go to evangelize and we spend the rest of our time God-centered. The Lord has commanded us to observe the Lord’s day and keep it holy. On Sunday, we don’t watch TV, we don’t do computers, iPhones, iPads etc. When looking for jobs, the members of the church make it clear that they don’t work Sundays because they have to minister to the Lord on His day. God has given the members of the church favor in the sight of their employer. If you already have a job that makes you work Sunday, it is your decision. Does it seem right to break God's laws? This is a personal decision – that each one of us will be accountable for on the day of judgment.
How to Observe the Sabbath
It is a day of complete rest: cease from all work and keep it holy
Having more work is not an excuse to break the Sabbath. “Six days you shall work, but on the seventh day you shall rest. In plowing time and in harvest you shall rest. (Exodus 34:21 ESV)
Everything done on the Sabbath should be God-centered.
It is a day of sacred assembly. We must go to church and celebrate with great joy. Hebrews 10:25 "And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near". It is not a day for people to stay at home and do their own will, but it is a day that is holy unto the Lord. For any church/person that desire revival, meeting together is a must. This is one of the reasons why many churches don’t have revival because they don’t observe Sabbath right and some people believe they are the church and they don’t have to go to church. Revival happens when they gather together in one accord and one place to seek the Lord. "If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath and from doing as you please on my holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight and the LORD's holy day honorable, and if you honor it by not going your own way and not doing as you please or speaking idle words, then you will find your joy in the LORD, and I will cause you to ride on the heights of the land and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob." The mouth of the LORD has spoken. (Isaiah 58:13-14)
Honor it. Do not profane it.
It is not a day to do our own pleasure. It is not a day for movie marathon, sleeping in, doing our own hobbies, but it is a day to spend with God.
Do God’s will, be at church early, pray for the service and everyone attending, pray for the pastors and ministers and every ministry in your church.
It is not a day to talk about secular things, nor to spend long periods of time catching up with friends we have not seen in a long time
Don't buy nor sell – In God’s eyes, this is extremely serious.
From the Fire book series, Jesus speaking: [There are many saints who think that spending money on Sundays is justified, IF it is for the sake of the gospel. Jesus clarified the church’s deception, “People obfuscate, misuse, and abuse the commandment of Sunday, 'for the sake of the gospel'. They do it consistently. Do not spend money on Sundays! Once men have decided to do what is in their hearts, they present their reasons or justifications to break the commandment at any cost.” The Lord looked very serious. His majesty was overflowing.]
“But if you do not obey me to keep the Sabbath day holy by not carrying any load as you come through the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day, then I will kindle an unquenchable fire in the gates of Jerusalem that will consume her fortresses.' (Jeremiah 17:27) ('Carrying any load', refers to a load of goods to sell, a selling cart)
And the Lord said to Moses, "You are to speak to the people of Israel and say, 'Above all you shall keep my Sabbaths, for this is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I, the Lord, sanctify you. You shall keep the Sabbath, because it is holy for you. Everyone who profanes it shall be put to death. Whoever does any work on it, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, holy to the Lord. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day shall be put to death. Therefore the people of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, observing the Sabbath throughout their generations, as a covenant forever. It is a sign forever between Me and the people of Israel that in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed.'" And He gave to Moses, when He had finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai, the two tablets of the testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God. (Exodus 31:12-18 ESV)
Is Sunday a Pagan Day?
All the 7 days belong to the Lord – Monday through Monday, they all belong to God. God is the creator of heaven, earth and their fullness. The Bible tells us that God created the day, the night, the sun and the moon. Therefore, every day is the Lord’s. According to the scriptures, Jesus resurrected on Sunday – this is a Holy Day not a pagan day. There is nothing such as a pagan day because the devil has not created any day. Remember that Satan counterfeits everything God has created. Just because the devil do that, it does not mean we should let Him do that and give him more power than he does have. While it might be true that some people moved by evil spirits called it Sun Day it does not mean it no longer belongs to God. We must pray that what the devil has stolen from the Lord be brought back to God and it will happen through you and me. We must fight the devil. Call that day The Lord’s Day (Revelation 1:10). Also, remember that most languages do not it Sunday. In my language for example – Kinyarwanda, we call it ‘Ku Cyumweru’ – which means a Holy Day. The Lord’s Day was not started by Romans but by the Lord Jesus. Before Romans were, Jesus is. He is the Alpha and the Omega. The Beginning and the End.
Is it any day? Can I choose any day I want to celebrate it?
No, not according to the Bible. We do the will of God and His will is one day for all His children to gather together. God gave one day for all to come and worship Him together as one.
However, He explained that we should not be caught up on a day – there are people who observe the Sabbath on Saturday others on Sunday in some Muslim countries, Friday has been designed as a day of worship. So Christian churches in those countries gather Fridays to worship. The Lord said that we should not focus or be caught up on which day is correct but to “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy” (Exodus 20:8). The Lord said “ – Do you really think because it is on a Sunday instead of Saturday, or the other way around, I would not honor their celebration of it? No time or day is the same around the world, is it? It is a different hour in Korea than it is in Colorado. Isn’t it?”
“For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.” (Matthew 12:8)
And He said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.”
“…Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath."(Matthew 12:12)
Healing, salvation, evangelizing, deliverance and loosing all bonds of satan is a great thing to do. It is lawful to do good – not for profit however.
Coordinating Scriptures
Exodus 20:8 "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Exodus 31:13 "Say to the Israelites, 'You must observe my Sabbaths. This will be a sign between me and you for the generations to come, so you may know that I am the LORD, who makes you holy.” Psalm 112:1 Praise the LORD. Blessed are those who fear the LORD, who find great delight in his commands. Psalm 119:1 Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the LORD. Psalm 119:2 Blessed are those who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart-- Isaiah 56:4 For this is what the LORD says: "To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, who choose what pleases me and hold fast to my covenant…” Isaiah 56:6 And foreigners who bind themselves to the LORD to minister to him, to love the name of the LORD, and to be his servants, all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it and who hold fast to my covenant-- Isaiah 58:13 "If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath and from doing as you please on my holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight and the LORD's holy day honorable, and if you honor it by not going your own way and not doing as you please or speaking idle words, Jeremiah 17:21 This is what the LORD says: Be careful not to carry a load on the Sabbath day or bring it through the gates of Jerusalem. Jeremiah 17:22 Do not bring a load out of your houses or do any work on the Sabbath, but keep the Sabbath day holy, as I commanded your ancestors. Ezekiel 20:12 Also I gave them my Sabbaths as a sign between us, so they would know that I the LORD made them holy. Ezekiel 20:20 “Keep my Sabbaths holy, that they may be a sign between us. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God."