Glen Hartline

The Sabbath is made for man

The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath (Mark 2:27)

We first get introduced to the Sabbath in Genesis when we read how God created the earth, every living creature, and man in six days. It was actually at the end of the sixth day that man was created. It says that after that, on the seventh day, God rested. It was this time after He had created everything for man, and provided for Adam and Eve there every need, that He rested. Adam and Eve could begin their existence knowing that their Father had anticipated everything they would need and provided for them. This is the Sabbath; it is a covenant from God to man, not a day. He was saying, Adam, you will enter into this rest with me, you will have dominion over all the earth, and you will not have to toil for the benefits. This rest was lost through sin, and because of the law, religion has tried to make the Sabbath works. Religion says that unless you keep the Sabbath (a day) you will not be blessed by God. That you cannot work (defined by each religious group) and this day because it is the Lord’s day. Meanwhile ignoring the fact that every day is the Lord’s day, and we are to worship Him, honor Him, and fellowship with Him every day. He did not walk with Adam and Eve in the cool of the morning on Sundays, or Saturdays only. He walked with them in the cool of the day every day. Making the Sabbath specific day has changed a covenant of rest and provision into a religious obligation. David, because of his intimate relationship with God, knew of this covenant. He foresaw it being re-established through Jesus, and because of that dared to enter into the temple and eat the showbread. Jesus understood His father’s heart and the purpose of the Sabbath. That is why He had no problem with His disciples “working” on the Sabbath which is contrary to religious law. He understood that God had established the Sabbath as a covenant of promise that He meets all our needs. Today when we accept Jesus as savior and Lord of our lives, we too can step into this Sabbath rest. Like Adam and Eve before us, God has already provided our every need through Christ Jesus. Trust God, step into His rest.

Don’t let it pass you by

The early part of 2000, the Lord started showing me and speaking to me about a group of people, a remnant that He was calling forth. This remnant would gain a greater understanding of our authority and power in Christ Jesus. They would begin to walk in that authority and power and it would be a light to the world. This light would not only draw the unsaved to Jesus but would serve as a contrast between what man has called the church and what God calls the church. Many that are held in bondage to man’s religion will see the light and liberty that this remnant will walk in and will break free to run back to their first love. Much of the calling of this remnant is to turn the hearts of the children back to the father. The remnant will not only teach on the Father’s extravagant love but will demonstrate it. They will minister as ones with both authority and power.

I realize that many are prophesying this now, and this seems a little after the fact. This however, is not my reason for writing. For over ten years I have been waiting to see the manifestation of this group. Waiting for the time appointed by God to bring this remnant forth. Seeking God and praying, trying to rid myself of anything that would keep me from stepping into my calling. Waiting for the “sign” or the timing. Then about 6 months ago God started in various ways showing me that while I, and many others, have been “preparing” for this time, we allowed it to pass us by. He showed me that I had basically wasted the last ten years of my life. Now He did it slow, because this was extremely hard for me to take. But it was necessary.

Just like when He had to speak to me in an audible voice in 1998, calling me to serve Him, because I had ignored the gentle callings for years. He is now dealing with me because I missed it before and He doesn’t want me to miss it again. Years ago when He was instructing me about the remnant and His sons beginning to manifest, it wasn’t a teaching but a call to action. To step out and believe Him for what He was promising and for what Jesus had done. Not part way, but in every way. I taught this message, declared it, and prayed to see God bring it into being. I did everything that religion tells you to do, but I failed to put action to my words. In the same way, He is declaring His desires through words given by many different people. This isn’t just a declaration of what He wants to occur, it is a call to action. We must not miss this, and if we don’t step out and start acting like the sons of God we are called to be we will miss it. Not that the call and desires of God will be revoked, but our sensitivity to the calling and to the spirit will be dulled. Now is the time for action. Let’s not sit around having meetings and gatherings just declaring what God’s will is, let us put action to God’s will. Let’s not just be hearers of the word, but doers also.

Call to Action

James 1:22-25

22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; 24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.

        There is a real battle going on. It has been raging since the fall of man. The battle is between the kingdom of God and the Kingdom of darkness with the fate of men and women in the balance. This is a daily fight against an enemy that’s sole desire is to steal what is ours, and to kill and destroy us. His tactics have convinced the majority of the body of Christ to have no part in this war and to just endure until our redeemer returns. Well, enough is enough, it is time to stand up and take the fight to the enemy. Jesus has commissioned us, and cast us out to enforce what He has already accomplished. He has set the guidelines of our warfare that it is not against flesh and blood (man) but against powers, principalities, and rulers of the darkness of this age. He has placed our enemy under our feet, and given us a place of authority in Him.

Eph 6:12-13

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

Our mission is to destroy the works of Satan, and bring freedom to man. Jesus didn’t die just so we can go to heaven. He paid the price so we can be free from the bondages of sin. He has set us free from the law of sin and death so that His spirit of life can rule and reign in our lives. It is this same Spirit that lives in us that will give life to our own mortal bodies. This is the life we must share with our brothers and sisters that are being held in bondage by Satan. We no longer can stand on the sidelines and watch as others suffer and die. We cannot sit still and allow our fellow man live in hunger and consumed with pain and disease. We have been given both the authority and the power to change their circumstances and not to act is ungodly and a sin. The revelation of being a son of God is being unveiled and with it comes the responsibility to act on it. We must not be a hearer of the word only, but a doer also.

No Condemnation

 Rom 8:1-4

8 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

            The other night while praying before going to church the Lord gave me this verse.  Now normally when He gives me this verse He wants to teach on healing and or heal people.  This verse has a special meaning to me because it was the verse He used when He talked to me about divine health.  This time however, something was different about the way He was emphasizing it to me.  He was emphasizing the part about there not being condemnation and not the part about the Spirit of Life.  I enquired as to why He was changing the emphasis, and what He was trying to tell me but no answer, that is until I got to church.  During worship I could sense His presence in a strong way and knew that He was drawing us (or inviting) us into intimacy in our relationship with Him.  He wanted to reveal Himself to us in ways we have not experienced Him before.  Now when He does this it doesn’t mean everyone will have the same experience with Him, but that He will interact with each person differently in a way that person can both understand and handle His presence.  I immediately knew now what the Lord was telling me before the service.  He wanted to draw us into a more intimate relationship but there were things holding us back, mainly condemnation.  He then spoke this word to me.

            I have captured their hearts.  But many, like a captured wild animal, continue to buck and struggle.  They struggle and try to do things in their own ways because they trust in their own abilities more than they trust in mine.  Cease from your own works and struggles.  Allow me to do my works both in you and through you.  Enter into my rest; see that I have provided all things for you and that all my promises are yes and amen.

            I could see that many were struggling because of things they had done in the past or because of circumstances in their life.  He then brought Hebrews 9 into remembrance. 

Heb 9:11-12

11 But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. 12 Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.

Jesus entered into the holy place one time and sprinkled His blood on the alter to meet the legal requirement for the remission of sins.  His offering was done one time for all sins.  Understand that every sin that was ever committed or ever will be committed has been forgiven.  All we have to do is receive that payment and confess that Jesus is your Lord.  That is the only “works” we do.  If we try to add anything to it then it’s not grace but works.  The truth is we don’t go to hell because of sin; we go to hell if we don’t accept Jesus’ sacrifice as the payment for our sin.  Every sin has been paid for in God’s eyes.  The problem is when we refuse to appropriate Jesus’ payment and by doing that we are insisting on paying for our sins ourselves.  We are unable to make that payment and so the wage of our sin is death, both physically and spiritually.  Most of you realize this and have received Jesus’ free gift, but continue to feel unworthy or “condemned” because of the struggles in your life.  You just don’t seem to be able to live up to the image you have created in your mind of what God requires you to be like before He will allow you to know Him intimately.  The truth is that you have very little to do with it because when our Father looks at a Christian He sees Jesus.  He’s not looking at your righteousness, but Jesus’.  He doesn’t see your holiness but Jesus’.  All you have to do is seek Him.  (Now I’m not making lite of sin.  Even if our Father doesn’t see your sin, it does open up a doorway for satan to destroy your life and limit the blessings of God in your life.  It’s not that God doesn’t love you or want to bless you, it’s just that you are giving satan the right to steal, kill, and destroy that things God has for you.) 

            The last part of the word was that He wanted us to enter into His rest or His Sabbath.  He also led me to Genesis 1:26 – 31.

26 Then God said,”Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them,”Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

29 And God said, “See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food. 30 Also, to every beast of the earth, to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food”; and it was so. 31 Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

When you look at creation you see that God made man at the end of the sixth day.  Everything else had been made and was ready for them.  There was nothing they had to do to receive what God had provided for them.  God didn’t make the trees seeds and require them to plant and wait for harvest.  They didn’t have to wait for the animals to be made or land to form.  God made them and sat them in the garden after He had finished providing everything they would need.  All they needed was a short introduction of what was available and what to do.  They immediately stepped into the Sabbath day and entered into His rest knowing that everything had been provided for.  In the same way our Father is telling you to trust Him.  Rest in the assurance that even before you were born He provided for you everything you will need.  Just trust Him and don’t give satan a doorway into your life to rob you of what God desires you to have.  Don’t allow those issues in your life that bring condemnation to keep you separated from your Father.  Separating yourself from Him is the last place you need to be and the last place He wants you to be.  Run into His arms, because in His presence even those doorways can be closed.