 God's commandments tell us to rest on the 7th day of each week. But the Sabbath rest is more than just a "day off". It is a day for spiritual instruction and fellowship with other believers. In addition to being a day of rest from our regular work, the 7th day is a day we are commanded to gather together for a “holy convocation”, see Leviticus 23:3. If you would like to learn more about the 7th day Sabbath found in the bible request our free booklet Sunset to Sunset: God’s Sabbath Rest: https://www.ucg.org/bible-study-tools/booklets/sunset-to-sunset-gods-sabbath-rest Locate a United Church of God meeting near you: ➤ http://ucg.org/congregations/ Popular Playlists:1️⃣ The Purpose of the First Four Commandments https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlHrYqLEsi04x0eu3p3Erq1BnJuRaXllG2️⃣ Heaven & Hell: What the Bible Really Says https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlHrYqLEsi06EXMCnqEfCYeids3jCUTAK3️⃣ Remember the Sabbath Day https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlHrYqLEsi05EzhV6rXCUbqHRUtnYXMwi4️⃣ Where is the Church Jesus Established? https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlHrYqLEsi05pOIcCZBB4S9-qZ-taNhjJ 

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Should We Go To Church... On Saturday

 Voluntary fasting is recorded in both the old and new testament. In addition to general references to fasting, scripture specifically mentions that David fasted, Jesus fasted, and Paul fasted.What does the scriptures say about how biblical fasting can help us grow in grace and knowledge?Booklet offer: https://www.ucg.org/bible-study-tools/booklets/what-happens-after-death

Biblical Fasting - How Does it Help a Christian

The bible is not a long list of do&#39;s and dont’s... that is a popular misunderstanding of scripture’s purpose. Listing and condemning all the possible ways a person can sin would have tens of thousands of entries... and then the human mind would simply dream up some more. How could the bible have explained the problem of addiction to prescription drugs, or cyber-crime, to people living 3,000 years ago?Your Creator is more interested in helping you get at the root causes of sin... problematic ways of thinking that do not change over time.... then it is up to you to figure out how it applies to your situation, or your era in time. Our purpose today is to discuss the root sin of LUST and its antidote, self control. First, by defining what it is and is not, second by looking at four ways lust can lead to sin: sex, drunkenness and gluttony, and laziness….finally by recommending its antidote: SELF CONTOL The spirit must train itself to rule over the flesh… with God’s help and guidance.Lust of the Flesh - A Root Cause of Sin and EvilKeep Reading »

Lust of the Flesh - A Root Cause of Sin and Evil

A bad tree yields  bad fruit… good fruit comes from a good tree… out of the abundance of the heart so a person speaks… and so they act. Jesus words tell us that sin happens because of bad thinking which leads to bad behavior. The big culprits are lust of the flesh, covetousness, and the pride of life.Today we are going to look at pride. We&#39;ll try to define pride, we’ll explore 5 areas where pride sprouts up, and 5 of the forms it takes... finally considering how a realistic self image can help us combat pride. Request our FREE bible study guide - Transforming Your LifePride: A Distorted View of RealityKeep Reading »

Pride - A Distorted View of Reality

Lust of the Flesh - A Root Cause of Sin and EvilThe bible is not a long list of do&#39;s and dont’s... that is a popular misunderstanding of scripture’s purpose. Listing and condemning all the possible ways a person can sin would have tens of thousands of entries... and then the human mind would simply dream up some more. How could the bible have explained the problem of addiction to prescription drugs, or cyber-crime, to people living 3,000 years ago?Your Creator is more interested in helping you get at the root causes of sin... problematic ways of thinking that do not change over time.... then it is up to you to figure out how it applies to your situation, or your era in time. Our purpose today is to discuss the root sin of LUST and its antidote, self control. First, by defining what it is and is not, second by looking at four ways lust can lead to sin: sex, drunkenness and gluttony, and laziness….finally by recommending its antidote: SELF CONTOL The spirit must train itself to rule over the flesh… with God’s help and guidance.Keep Reading »

Israel’s journey from the bondage of Egypt to the foot of Mount Sinai is a journey from their service to the cruel taskmasters of Egypt... to a covenant of service and loyalty to the living God. It is a parallel to the spiritual journey taken by every man and woman redeemed from the bondage of sin through Christ to serve the living God.God set Israel free from bondage through the events of Passover and the festival of unleavened bread. He led them out and guided them to the foot of a mighty mountain where He introduced to them the way to real freedom. The freedom that comes from knowing the truth of God beginning with His righteous commandments. The truth of God sets you free from bondage to habits and ways of thinking that have no future beyond the grave... and therefore end in death.Pentecost reminds you that both the word of God and the spirit of God are needed to attain life everlasting! Today we are gong to zero in on the delivery of truth.Tradition teaches that Israel&#39;s journey from Egypt to Sinai took about 50 days. Placing them at the foot of that mountain to hear the commandments spoken on the day of Pentecost. You have probably heard something like that over the years. Based on the biblical data even skeptics cannot deny that the giving of the commandments at Sinai took place at least sometime very near the day of Pentecost. The bible does not explicitly say that the commandments were spoken to Israel by God on the very day of Pentecost. However, as we walk through Israel&#39;s journey from Egypt to Sinai I am going to point out to you the biblical statements we have about the timeline. I believe these are road markers that lead us to Pentecost.The chart referenced in this message can be accessed here: https://www.ucg.org/system/storage/serve/1289511/egypt_to_sinai_chart.pdfKeep Reading »

50 Day Countdown To Pentecost - From Egyptian Slavery to Mount Sinai

Today we are going to take a look at third annual holy day in the old testament. Among Israel this festival was known as the feast of weeks. It was a time to offer the first fruits of the wheat harvest to God. But praise and thanks for abundant crops is only the beginning of the meaning of the feast of weeks.Offering the first fruits of the harvest  to Him is also a prophecy and foreshadow of how God will claim  first fruits from all of humanity through calling and drawing people of all nations, ancestry, and cultures into His Church.Get more information about the biblical festivals request a copy of our free bible study guide - God&#39;s Holy Day PlanKeep Reading »

The Offering of the First Fruits and the Feast of Weeks

The prophetic book of Habakkuk is a book of questions and answers. The time setting is around 605 B.C. The kingdom of the chosen people has rebelled and turned away from God. Out of Israel only Judah is left... and they will soon be destroyed and taken as captives by Babylon.Habakkuk asks his questions, maybe you have asked the same questions… God replies with some unexpected answers… Throughout this book we are presented with one of the most important spiritual lessons of the bible… THE JUST WILL LIVE BY FAITH.Request our free bible study book - You Can Have Living FaithKeep Reading »

The Just Shall Live By Faith

What Are You Afraid Of?The past year [2020] was a year of trial and testing for society at large and for the Church of God. It was a year dominated by fear, fear of sickness, fear of the political power of others, fear of the flesh, fear of man. There have been stumbles, but even failures can be used for good if we use them as an opportunity to reflect, meditate, and soberly consider our thoughts and actions. Today we will discuss  fear. I want to focus on fear of God, however, I first want to briefly touch on human fear, or fear of the flesh.https://ucgraleigh.blogspot.com/2021/04/fear-of-god-is-beginning-of-wisdom.htmlKeep Reading »

Fear of God is the Beginning of Wisdom

What Are You Afraid Of?The past year [2020] was a year of trial and testing for society at large and for the Church of God. It was a year dominated by fear, fear of sickness, fear of the political power of others, fear of the flesh, fear of man. There have been stumbles, but even failures can be used for good if we use them as an opportunity to reflect, meditate, and soberly consider our thoughts and actions. Today we will discuss  fear. I want to focus on fear of God, however, I first want to briefly touch on human fear, or fear of the flesh.Fear of DeathHebrews 2:14-15 the bible boils human fear down to fear of their own death. Sub categories of human fear might include fear of pain, fear of humiliation… but fear of death is the real bottom line. As we just read… the solution and help to go beyond that fear begins with confidence and faith in the living and active high priest: Jesus Christ. A powerful advocate who is is personally available to help you work your way from this fear of death [common to all human beings] to freedom, joy, and expectation of eternal life. Scripture likens this fear filled state of mind to being in prison, and tells us one of the many purposes of the Messiah [the Christ] is to begin this work of freeing the prisoners; Isaiah 42:7, Isaiah 49:9, Isaiah 61:1.The walls and bars of that prison are ignorance, misunderstanding, and deception... knowing  God's truth is what can set a person free from such a prison. God’s truth begins with knowing Jesus Christ and what He's all about... then it is built upon through the work and illumination offered by the spirit of Christ and the spirit of God at work in you. God’s truth opens the door and offers freedom from mental anguish... God’s truth ALSO serves to move us on a path:  from and unnecessary fear of death, to a necessary fear of God.1 John 4:16 - 5:14Scripture recognizes fear as a legitimate motivator of human thought and action. But, God's truth instructs us so that we fear the right stuff! “don’t fear what man fears, fear God.Fear of GodFear of God is not a popular concept. A lot of us seem to think that God should be understood primarily as our friend, our buddy, our partner. Its is true God wants to have a joyous, peaceful relationship with you and me... but losing or even downplaying a proper fear of God will lead to disaster.A practical purpose of fearing God is to keep you out of trouble: financial trouble, legal trouble, sexual trouble. It also helps you establish right relationships with your neighbors, on your job and a whole lot more Proverbs 19:23.But we don't obey only for the physical blessings obedience might bring to our life, which only last but a short time. We fear and obey God because of His promise of righteous judgment. A judgment which determines whether or not we the next level of existence which is eternal life.  A judgment that is all knowing, all seeing, loving, fair, and just…. which is both comforting and scary at he same time. The moral and spiritual instruction provided by God begins with His commandments guided by the attitudes which are most commonly known as the fruits of the spirit. IF you know the standards of God then you also know how much you fall short. l Fear of God teaches us to be humble before Him and to trust Him. Pride is a root of disobedience because a proud person says "my ways are right" and does not soberly consider with fear and trembling when they are at variance with the living God. l Fear of God understands that nothing is hidden from Him, every thought and motive is known. Sometimes, we are not even consciously aware of our motives. So we should pray for discernment that we can repent of hidden problems, overcome and live the love of God in heart and mind.l Fear of God teaches us that kindness, love, loyalty and faithfulness are the antidote for evil.l Fear of God is the way that leads to peace with God and our fellow human beings. And that is the plan for all who would be born of the eternal spiritProverbs 15:33-16:7Reality is Governed By Laws [Which We Should Fear Breaking]The material universe is governed by laws: physics, gravity, supply and demand. In addition to these there are spiritual laws at work in the universe, laws that scientists, economists, politicians, and philosophers know little of nothing about. Some spiritual laws humans are able to discern from their own observations... but a comprehensive, well rounded knowledge of these spiritual laws comes through revelation from the Creator of all things both material and spirit. Which brings us back to the idea of information, freedom from ignorance and deception... or the revealed truth of GodProverbs 9:10 and Isaiah 11:2-3You Need To Act On The Informationl If you want riches then conform to the laws of economicsl If you want to avoid falling then conform to the laws of gravityl If you want to achieve peace, joy, love, then conform to the spiritual laws of GodBecause of human nature and the  malicious influence of Satan humans resist these spiritual laws, reject them and try to replace them with their own "laws". l Humans don’t like God’s spiritual laws because the conflict with the desires of the flesh. l Humans don’t fear God’s spiritual laws because the disastrous effects of flouting them take a while to play out  Ecclesiastes 8:10-13. Some take years, some take decades, some will only bear out after death. But, God's spiritual laws are not imposed upon you to hold you back, or punish you, or keep you from your full potential... they are simply the laws of eternity.  Just like gravity is a fundamental law of the material world... you don't fight against gravity, or resist its relentless logic... you learn to live within its parameters or you die. Why not have the same attitude towards the spiritual laws of eternal reality?If you get yourself in the right frame of mind your temporary physical existence, all its experiences, even your trials and sufferings can be appreciated as an exciting adventure... preparing you for the reality of eternal life, which is governed by laws. Proper Fear in The Presence of GodExodus 20:18-21 fear is an appropriate response to the presence of God... the positive purpose of this fear is to keep you from doing evil. In verse 20 Moses says "do not be afraid, God has come to test you so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning". So, fear is presented as both a negative and a positive in the same sentence.Example: when I was teaching my teenagers to drive I wanted them to have a healthy fear of the tremendous kinetic power of a moving vehicle and its ability to destroy and kill, but at the same time I did not want them to be so afraid that they would never drive. So, there was a positive fear I wanted them to have and a negative fear I did not want them to give in to.In Deuteronomy 5:24-29 a parallel account the Mt. Sinai encounter tells us God's reaction when the people begged that He not speak directly to them. It was "well said" and pleasing to Him. God wants you to have a healthy fear. But not a negative fear or terror such that you avoid any interaction with Him. The people realized they were in danger coming as close as they were. The fullness of God’s glory and Holiness is threatening to sinful humans because it is also the presence of righteous judgment.  Humans must approach God carefully lest they die. Also, God's presence among human beings must be limited so as not to overwhelm them and consume them with the fire of righteous judgment. Both these principles are dramatically portrayed in the books of Exodus, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy.The new covenant changed that…Through Jesus it was possible for the most holy God to be present among human beings in a form humans could handle [flesh and blood]. Likewise, the holy spirit is the presence of God with human beings, which we experience as part of our mental process.The danger of these two forms  of God's presence are easier for flesh and blood humans to reject or to quench:l People often reject Jesus Christ precisely because he is so humanl People often reject the reality of the spirit because it is not overwhelming and all consuming and therefore easy to dismiss as a figment of imagination.Fear & God's Presence in the ChurchActs 2:38-43 after experiencing the power of the holy spirit "everyone was filled with fear [phobos]. The kickoff experience of the new covenant church of God was characterized as having that positive fear of the presence of the living God.Acts 5:1-6 Annanias and his wife Saphira were people who lost that sense of God's presence within the church. Their death led to great fear coming over the entire church. It was a demonstration that God is present within the assembly of the congregation... and He cares about how we present ourselves... He does not like deception, he does not like pride or arrogance, He does not like carelessness, He does not like confusion and disorder, He does not like disrespect towards himself or His appointed representatives.Deuteronomy 4:10 we are called to assemble before Him each Sabbath so we may learn to fear Him. Through instruction and actively showing respect in sober conduct and decorum...[verse 24]... compare Hebrews 12:18-29.Fear of God does not come naturally to the flesh and blood human. Fear of God has to be learned Ephesians 5:17-21.Malachi 3:16-18Fear & Your Personal Relationship With GodWithout a proper fear of God we will not have a good relationship with Him. Spiritually informed fear is coming to an understanding how much God hates sin and evil.. and is fearful of being classified as a person who does evil.1 Peter 3:10-12 God's eyes are upon you...His ears are open to your prayers... but saying amen does not stop God from listening. Everything is known and nothing is hidden from God. Multiple times in the prophets God shakes His head and says “I cannot believe these people think I don’t see what they are doing”. If the holy spirit at work in you it will produce and reinforce a healthy fear of God. The larger purpose of that fear is to bring you into harmony with the laws of eternity so that you can successfully participate in eternal life. Godly fear is for your own good  Jeremiah 32:38-40.Personal holiness, cleanness of mind and conscience is achieved through Godly fear 2 Corinthians 7:1.Godly fear is a source of blessing today and for eternity Psalm 128:1-4.Conclusion: Ecclesiastes 12:13-14   

 When Does the Sabbath Day Start and End?When I first began observing the 7th day Sabbath I assumed the day began after midnight on Friday and went through to midnight that Saturday. However, when I came into contact with the Church of God they showed me from the bible that God’s way of reckoning time was different. If you would like to learn more about the biblical 7th day Sabbath and its importance for you get our free bible study guide on the subject here: https://www.ucg.org/bible-study-tools/booklets/sunset-to-sunset-gods-sabbath-restKeep Reading »

When Does the Sabbath Day Begin

The Early Church and the Biblical PassoverLast year leading up to the Passover I walked through three NT scriptures often used to teach against the observance of the biblical holy days. Using the setting and context I showed that Paul was teaching against human customs and traditions rather than the commanded holy day observance of scripture. That message is available online titled: “The Apostle Paul and the Biblical Holy Days”.Our purpose today is to use references from written history to demonstrate that the Church Jesus established observed the biblical Passover on the 14th of Aviv/Nisan for the first 200 years of its existence.  And that is was only after significant political pressure that most Christian congregations changed the date of this observance to what is now called Easter Sunday.If the apostle Paul taught against the observance of the biblical holy days as many falsely proclaim then why was the church still observing holy days for 2 centuries after his death?  Was he just a really ineffective teacher? I&#39;ve had people boldly tell me how Paul&#39;s instructions about dumping the holy days are so clear and obvious ... yet the record of history shows the very congregations he established in Asia Minor were upholding the biblical Passover for 200 years later.And they kept it on the 14th of Aviv/Nisan just like it says to in the book of Exodus and Leviticus 23:5To learn more about this important subject please request a free copy of Holidays or Holy Days Which Should We ObserveKeep Reading »

Quartodecimans & the Council of Nicea 325 A.D.

 Are You Ready?The Passover pictures and calls us to remember many things, redemption from the bondage of slavery, the sacrifice of the lamb of God [Jesus Christ] as the payment of the death penalty we earned through our sin. Self-examination, covenant renewal, baptism into the death of Christ... there is so much to cover at this important time of the year.There is yet another message embedded in the spring holy days which we don&#39;t often dwell upon. A message that is especially relevant to us in light of the national and global  meltdown over the COVID 19 virus. That message [which I am going cover today] is haste. In the past few weeks  we have seen life on the entire planet turned upside down. It happened very quickly. One week we were living the life of Riley, watching our retirement investments grow, planning weddings, graduation ceremonies, looking forward to the spring holy days... the next week we woke up to a world shutting down border crossings, stopping travel, ordering citizens to stay in their homes, closing businesses, schools etc.A lesson you should get from this global calamity is: to realize through experience how easily, and how quickly EVERYTHING can change. Over the years many of us have said things like "yup, things can change quickly... and we have to be prepared for that before Christ returns"... but now I think many of us  born after WW2 have seen it actually happen. The entire world can turn very quickly indeed.This present distress will most likely pass and things return "normal", although with a slightly modified sense of what defines "normal". But looking ahead there are prophesied changes coming before Christ’s return. Changes which will also come quickly... but after THESE changes there will be no return to "normal".  Jesus Christ, your lord, master, head of the church, future bridegroom... wants you to prepare now for that time.Get a Free copy of God&#39;s Holy Day Plan to learn more about the biblical festivals and their significance for followers of Jesus Christ.Keep Reading »

Eat the Passover in Haste - Be Ready For Rapid Change

The Ongoing Problem of Sin The 7 day feast of unleavened bread follows the observance of the Passover… which is fitting since It pictures what must take place after the Passover. The central theme and message of the days of unleavened bread is addressing the ongoing problem of sin.Each Passover is a memorial of Jesus death which pays the penalty we earned through our past sins. After the wonderful forgiveness and redemption comes the long painful process of separating our self from sin. Even for the believing baptism person... the problem of sin remains and must be confronted 1 John 1:8 - 2:6.Our purpose today is to discuss two approaches to the ongoing problem of sin:1. Getting sin out of our lives [pictured by removal of leaven from our homes]2. Getting our self out of sin [Getting our self out of sin being removed from the society and culture of Egypt … their outlook on life, what they considered good and evil]Keep Reading »

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UCG Raleigh

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