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The Christian Sabbath Blessing

Debra Lohrere

In Christian circles, even among those who do believe in keeping the ten commandments, there has still been confusion over the fourth commandment and whether we should be keeping the Sabbath on the seventh day that was ordained, sanctified and made Holy

To be able to develop a close relationship with God, we need to spend quality time with Him. He set aside this day as a special time of communion with Him. It is a time where we can study His Word, and let His Holy Spirit speak to us through it. A time that we can spend in earnest prayer, talking to Him, praising and worshiping Him.

It is also a time that we can look at nature and reflect on all the wonderful creations that He has made. And finally, it is a time that we can spend with fellow believers, to worship together in song and have fellowship with each other, encouraging one another and building up each other s faith

God also gave us this special day as a day of rest. In this hectic world with our busy lifestyles it is so easy to get so engrossed in other things that we never have time for God and never have time to just stop all our work and let our bodies recuperate.

Some Christians spend a couple of hours of a Sunday morning attending church, but then the hum drum of the rat race catches up with them and they start doing household chores like mowing lawns. Others go to the footy, or do other secular activities where God is just not a part of it.

With stress related diseases like cancer and heart attacks on the increase every year, the necessity to take a days break, and bask in the presence of our all mighty father in Heaven, has never been so important. We need to spend time with Him to be replenished and rested.

God gave us His Sabbath day as a blessing to all mankind. A day on which we could spend time with Him to get to truly know Him and fellowship with Him. A day on which we do not have to do any work or labour. A day to rest, away from the worries and cares of this world.

God also ordained the seventh day Sabbath as a day in remembrance that He is the Creator of Heaven and Earth. The Bible says, Exodus 20:8-11 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work .

The scriptures also show us the true spirit of the Sabbath. Isaiah 58:13-14 If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on My holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight..

This shows that the Sabbath is a delight and a blessing. It is a wonderful day and something to look forward to each week.

All Bible references are from the King James Version.

For more information on this subject please visit http://www.Sabbath-Day.net

Debra Lohrere is the author of "Peace, Prophecy and False Fire" http://www.lulu.com/content/333221

AN HOUR WITH: MUSIC PROFESSOR CECIL AUSTIN; Spirit of the Drum

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, The , Feb 25, 2006 by JACKIE LOOHAUIS

The djembe drums clap like thunder clouds coming together. Milwaukee`s Oma-Ana African drum and dance group storms into the West Bend High School gymnasium, beating out rhythms as old as Africa itself. The audience of students jumps to its feet, clapping now, too . . .

In the middle of the sound and the movement, there`s director Cecil Austin playing drums himself.

This University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee music professor founded Oma-Ana in 1995, when he taught at Sherman Multicultural Arts Elementary School.

"I had kids having a tough time," in school, says Austin, explaining why he began the citywide troupe. Plus, he wanted to use his knowledge of African heritage, music and religion to give the students focus.

He gave the group a Yoruba name meaning "Children of the Spirit of the Drum," and that`s just what the young people became.

"They learned that drums were used to open all ceremonies, and that the drums hold the rhythms of all the spirits. If you`re going to play the drums you have to be a person of good character. Anyone with bad language or bad behavior, I told them, I`m sorry, you have to solve this problem or you can`t be in Oma-Ana.` "

Giving up their recesses, the kids learned African drum and dance techniques from Austin, who had worked with the widely known Milwaukee dance troupe Ko-Thi. The effort paid off. "We created a 55- minute show, and when we performed, everybody loved us."

Austin sits at his drum, "cooking the rhythms," as the Oma-Ana performance heats up. Two young women in traditional lapa long wrap skirts step out front, catching the beat with pounding footwork and graceful arm sweeps . . .

Under Austin`s directorship, Oma-Ana has become one of the premier drum troupes in the state.

The group, which has on average 14 members, has performed throughout the state and country, including at The King Center in Atlanta. Dozens of youngsters have passed through the Oma-Ana ranks.

Black History Month gives the group a full February performance schedule, including an appearance with Ko-Thi at Alverno College at 7:30 tonight.

The group has been invited to Ghana to perform, and Austin hopes to raise money for a trip there next year. And he continues holding lessons to bring a new generation into Oma-Ana.

The djembe beats shake the gym walls. But Austin isn`t part of the reverb, he sits back now, watching. He knows Oma-Ana can carry its rhythms on its own.

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