2013 September 23 - Morning Manna

But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day. And when he was departed thence, he went into their synagogue: And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him. And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out? How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days. Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other.
(Matthew 12:7-13)

Today's Morsel: Sometimes as I'm reading through the Word of God, I come across passages and I realize that what people have spoken or said was not actually what was meant in scriptures. I'm sure most of you, like me, have heard that under the law, no one was to do anything on the Sabbath day because it was the day of rest. Yes, when we look at the Ten Commandments that God gave to Moses, they were not to do any work ( Exodus 20:8-11). But it made no mention of not doing good. And so what Jesus was trying to get the religious leaders to see, was that He was the God that spoke the commandments to Moses; that He was Lord of the Sabbath, and that He had made no mention of not doing good on the Sabbath day. The people were not to do any work. A big difference. But they had misunderstood the commandment. James stated, "Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin" (James 4:17). God doesn't tempt anyone to sin. He came to deliver us from our sins. But because they misunderstood the commandment of God, they were causing people to sin. Anytime you do good, you are in the will of God. The fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth (Ephesians 5:9). So let me encourage you, "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world" (1 John 4:1)

Sing: Open the eyes of my heart Lord, open the eyes of my heart, I want to see You, I want to see You. To see You high and lifted up, shining in the light of Your glory, pour out Your power and love, as we sing holy, holy, holy, I want to see You.