Even with the best motivations and intentions, and believing that we are on the side of God and goodness, working for the Lord can be difficult and discouraging. The sadness and pain of our world are real. This is one reason we need a church community. Jesus modeled this kind of supportive community with His … Continue reading –>
This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him. Psalm 91:2 NLT In Lysa Terkeurst’s book, Uninvited, She tells the story about finding refuge in a ravine near her childhood home. Her father, who was mean, made her feel unsafe at … Continue reading –>
At the beginning of the book of Job, God points to Job and his faithfulness to Him as a demonstration of the goodness of God’s ways and His dealings with fallen humanity (see Job 1:8). It is remarkable that God allows His reputation to hang on how His people live their lives on this earth. But Paul … Continue reading –>
Church discussions sometimes seem to get stuck on the apparent need to choose between a focus on social work or gospel work, either charity or witnessing, either justice or evangelism. But when we better understand each of these concepts and observe the ministry of Jesus, the difference breaks down, and we realize that preaching the … Continue reading –>
More than a place to meet. Is the church more than a group of people who come to the church building once a week to study God’s word? What are some limitations of a church bound up entirely in meeting the needs of worshipers for a meeting place to present a weekly program of interest … Continue reading –>
Key Thought: In seeking to fulfill the Christian mission, we should look to the church as an organized community of believers. By working in a community of faith, we can bless those around us. 1. Have a volunteer read I Peter 2:11,12.. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point … Continue reading –>
As a community of servants we are to be watchful of what is happening around us: Hymn 597, “Ye Servants of the Lord”. We are then to be faithful to our mandate to “Go, Preach My Gospel”, Hymn 378, as instructed in our Sabbath afternoon introduction to this week’s lesson study. Being in a role … Continue reading –>
The standard definition of the remnant people identified in Bible prophecy is found in Revelation 12:17: those “who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ” (NKJV, see also Rev. 14:12). In the Bible’s story, these features mark out God’s people in the later stages of earth’s history. But, also in the Bible stories, … Continue reading –>
We have seen in the early chapters of Acts how the first Christian believers established a different kind of community, caring for those in need among them, and together reaching out to those outside the community, offering them help where needed and inviting them to join in with what God was doing among them. Adding … Continue reading –>
Read for This Week’s Study: 2 Cor. 2:14-16, Exod. 32:1-14, 1 Pet. 2:12, Phil. 2:15, Eph. 2:19, Heb. 10:23-25. Memory Text: “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works” (Hebrews 10:23-24, NKJV). In seeking to fulfil the Christian mission, … Continue reading –>
