The church is the community of believers who confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. In continuity with the people of God in Old Testament times, we are called out from the world; and we join together for worship, for fellowship, for instruction in the Word, for the celebration of the Lord’s Supper, for service to all mankind, and for the worldwide proclamation of the gospel. The church derives its authority from Christ, who is the incarnate Word, and from the Scriptures, which are the written Word. The church is God’s family; adopted by Him as children, its members live on the basis of the new covenant. The church is the body of Christ, a community of faith of which Christ Himself is the Head. The church is the bride for whom Christ died that He might sanctify and cleanse her. At His return in triumph, He will present her to Himself a glorious church, the faithful of all the ages, the purchase of His blood, not having spot or wrinkle, but holy and without blemish. (Gen. 12:3; Acts 7:38; Eph. 4:11-15; 3:8-11; Matt. 28:19, 20; 16:13-20; 18:18; Eph. 2:19-22; 1:22, 23; 5:23-27; Col. 1:17, 18.)
Test your knowledge. Put your hand over the screen and guess the three most common mental disorders in the US. They are, in order, with lifetime prevalence rates: Anxiety disorders (about 18%), mood disorders (about 10%), and ADHD (about 5%). It might come as a surprise that anxiety rates higher than depression. Actually, anxiety diagnoses … Continue reading –>
In Christ’s day in Palestine, you could start a heated debate in the church by just saying the word “resurrection.” Today you can accomplish the same thing during fellowship lunch by just casually using the word “perfect.” In my 47 years of being an Adventist I have observed something ironic. I have met people who … Continue reading –>
The focal point of Zephaniah’s message is the “day of the Lord” (Zeph. 1:7). For biblical prophets, the day of the Lord refers to a specific period of time in which God intervenes in human affairs in order both to save and to judge. Most people in ancient Israel believed that on this day the … Continue reading –>
Read for This Week’s Study: Zeph. 1:14-18, Joel 2:1-11, Zeph. 2:1-3, Isa. 11:4, Zeph. 3:1-5, Isa. 62:5, Naham 1-3. Memory Text: “The Lord will be awesome to them, for He will reduce to nothing all the gods of the earth; people shall worship Him, each one from his place, indeed all the shores of the nations” (Zephaniah 2:11, NKJV). Key Thought: Judgment is coming; but … Continue reading –>
Read the following comments and discuss how they help us to understand better Habakkuk’s messages. “There is an answer to Habakkuk’s question. It is an answer, not in terms of thought, but in terms of events. God’s answer will happen, but it cannot be spelled out in words. The answer will surely come; ‘if it … Continue reading –>
Recently Joshua’s family moved from their country home into a new home in town. Joshua wondered how he could tell the children in his new neighborhood about his friend Jesus. When he heard that some children would be going from house to house collecting treats to celebrate Halloween, he wondered what he could do to … Continue reading –>
“For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.” Habakkuk 2:14 NASB [Thought Questions for Trusting God's Goodness May 22, 2013] 1. Filled with God’s knowledge. Remember reading a few weeks ago about the time in the future when people will be gnashing … Continue reading –>
“Though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines; though the labor of the olive may fail, and the fields yield no food; . . . Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength; he will make … Continue reading –>
Read Habakkuk 3. What is Habakkuk doing there, and why is that so important, especially given the tough circumstances and difficult questions he is facing? Habakkuk expresses his acceptance of God’s ways in a prayer set to music (Hab. 3:19). Being fully aware of God’s power, he asks the Lord to remember His mercy when the … Continue reading –>
Key Thought : We may not understand why tragedy happens, or injustice, violence, and evil; but we can trust God through it all. [Teaching plan for Trusting God's Goodness May 20, 2013] 1. Have a volunteer read Habakkuk 1:2-5 A. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the main idea of this … Continue reading –>
God’s answer to Habakkuk’s question in Habakkuk 1:17, as recorded in chapter 2, continues in the form of a song that mocks the proud oppressor. No less than five woes (Hab. 2:6, 9, 12, 15, 19) affirm the message that Babylon’s doom is sealed. The punishment on the enemy will be in accordance with the “measure for measure” principle. What … Continue reading –>
In Habakkuk 1:12-17, God’s answer to Habakkuk’s questions poses an even more vexing question: can a righteous God use the wicked to punish those who are more righteous than they? Habakkuk’s question in verse 17 had to do with divine justice. Habakkuk was puzzled, not only by the degeneration of his own people but also by the certainty … Continue reading –>
Read Habakkuk 1. What are the questions that the prophet asks of God? Though his situation is, of course, different from ours, how often do we find ourselves asking these types of questions? Habakkuk is unique among prophets because he did not speak for God to the people but rather spoke to God about the people. The prophet … Continue reading –>
Read for This Week’s Study: Hab. 1:1-17, 2:2-4, Gal. 3:11, Heb. 11:1-13, Habakkuk 3, Phil. 4:11. Memory Text: “‘For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea’” (Habakkuk 2:14, NASB). Key Thought: We may not understand always why tragedy happens, but we can trust God, no matter what.May not understand always why … Continue reading –>
Does anybody remember the call-in radio show with Dr. Laura? For a while, Laura Schlessinger had a very popular radio advice program where she told people exactly what she thought about their behavior and how they should fix themselves. She often didn’t let the caller get to the actual question before she started telling them … Continue reading –>
