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Divine Appointments Tendai Manzvanzvike
ONE of the devotionals I receive is the “Berean Daily Verse and Comment” ([email protected]) compiled by John W. Ritenbaugh. Since the “Sabbath” is a topical issue, let me share with readers what he wrote on October 21.
“Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array. By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.” (Genesis 2:1-3, NIV)
Ritenbaugh comments: Because the Sabbath is from creation – and the Creator Himself set the pattern for man by resting on it – it has universal validity. It is not from one of the patriarchs or Moses or from the Jews because none of these existed when it was created. The Bible shows three times in two verses that God very clearly inspired the seventh day, not a seventh day.
God could have ended His creative work at the end of the sixth day because it seemed at that point as though He had provided everything man needed for life. But He did not complete it then because all man needed was not yet created! The Sabbath is, in fact, THE VERY CROWN of the creation week. It is vital to man’s well being. So God created a period of rest and holy time – a very specific period, as the context shows.
God draws our attention to four things He did on that first Sabbath. He (1) ended His work, (2) rested, (3) blessed the seventh day, and (4) sanctified it. He created something just as surely as He created physical things on the other six days.
He is instructing us that, on the Sabbath, creation continued but in a different form, one not outwardly visible. To those with understanding, the Sabbath symbolises that God is still creating. Jesus confirms this in John 5:17, when a dispute arises over how to keep the Sabbath. He replies, “My Father has been working until now, and I have been working.”
The Sabbath is an integral part of the process of creation. God finished the physical part at the end of the sixth day. The spiritual aspect began with the creation of the Sabbath and continues to this day. Through the sequence of events on the first six days, God created an environment for man and life. But God shows through the creation of the Sabbath that the life-producing process is not complete with just the physical environment. The Sabbath provides an important part in producing spiritual life – life with a dimension the physical cannot supply.
The Sabbath is not an afterthought of a tremendous creation, but a deliberate memorialising of the most enduring thing man knows: time. Time plays a key role in God’s spiritual creation. It is as if God says, “Look at what I have made and consider that I am not yet finished creating. I am reproducing Myself, and you can be a part of My spiritual creation.”
Events calendar
Event: 4th Dominion Conference – Action Family International Ministries
Dates: October 23 to 27
Venue: AFIM, Budiriro 4
Theme: Living the dream (Job 33:14-16)
Guest speakers: Rev. T. Nyamakawo; Apostle J. Museba; Apostle M. Mutemererwa; Bishop T.O. Chipunza
Hosts: Apostle and Prophetess Masawi
Contact: 08644068732
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Event: Believers Spirit and Life Conference – House of Prayer for All Nations
Date: October 25 to 27
Venue: Dzivarasekwa 3 Community Centre
Time: 9am to 8:30pm
Theme: And the light shines in the darkness
Guest speakers: Pastor Maramba; Apostle d. Manyonda
Host: Apostle T and Pastor M. Zvokufa
Contact: 0733207929; 0733739824
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Event: Far Reaching Vision Ministry Launch
Date: October 26
Venue: Zimbabwe Museum Grounds, J. Moyo/Rotten Row
Time: 1pm – 6pm
Host: Prophet Inzwirashe Matema
Contact: 0775141704; 0713855477
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Event: Covenant Days of Blessing – Heartfelt International Ministries
Dates: October 28 to November 3
Venue: Belvedere Teachers’ College
Time: 6pm-9m
Guest speaker: Dr. J. Talena (Nigeria)
Host: Apostle T. Vutabwashe
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Event: Fire Flame Conference – Royal Family Ministry
Dates: November 5-10
Venue: Riverside, Damofalls, Ruwa
Time: 6pm – 9pm
Speakers: Apostle Chipoyera; Pastor S. Khuleya
Hosts: Pastors Sam and Chipo Basera
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Event: Mubatanidzwa wemaChurch Epositori
Date: November 3
Venue: Borrowdale
Churches represented: Mabasa Ezviratidzo Apostolic Church; St Peters Apostolic Church (Rugare); St Peters Apostolic Church (Glen Norah); St Luke Apostolic Church; Tarbenacle Ministries Apostolic Church; Voice of Christ Apostolic Church; Spirit Angel Apostolic Church
Contact: 0772467958; 0774080574; 0772777859; 0776277436
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Event: 50th Annirvesary Celebrations – Assemblies of God, Mufakose Assembly
Date: November 9
Venue: Mufakose Assembly, Cnr Mugodo/Garwe Roads, Mufakose
Theme: Celebrating God’s grace by honouring the past and looking into the future
Guest speaker: Rev. Buti P. Msiza (RSA)
Host: Pastor J.Z.S. and Mrs Chintokoma
Contact: 0772112105
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