A flourishing spiritual life is possible only by constantly depending on Christ. Jesus used the illustration of the vine to teach us how to accomplish this. I am the vine, you are the branches, said Jesus (John 15:5, NKJV). In the Old Testament, Israel was depicted as a vine that the Lord had planted (Isa. … Continue reading –>
Being born again is possible only through the work of the Holy Spirit. Jesus made use of the fact that the Greek word pneuma means both Spirit and wind in order to illustrate the process of conversion (John 3:8). The wind blows; none of us can start it, direct it, nor stop it. Its great … Continue reading –>
A zealous Christian confronted a politician and asked her, Have you been born again? Angry at what she deemed a personal question, the politician replied, It worked the first time, thank you. Maybe it did, but considering our fallen nature, our first birth isn’t enough, at least not for eternal life. For that, we must … Continue reading –>
Read for This Week’s Study: John 3:1-15; 2 Cor. 5:17; John 15:4-10; Matt. 6:9-13; Luke 9:23-24. Memory Text: Jesus answered and said to him, Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God (John 3:3, NKJV). Nicodemus felt drawn to Christ but dared not visit Him … Continue reading –>
Zho and his wife, Lai, are a young couple who serve as Global Mission pioneers in China. God sent them to serve in a city that had no Adventist believers. The couple rented a house that would work as a house church and began meeting their new neighbors. One day Lai met an old man … Continue reading –>
Further Study: Ellen G. White, Repentance, p. 23-32, in Steps to Christ. We can no more repent without the Spirit of Christ to awaken the conscience than we can be pardoned without Christ. — Ellen G. White, Steps to Christ, p. 26. As we behold the Lamb of God upon the cross of Calvary, the … Continue reading –>
When in faith we recognize our need, repent, confess our sins, and claim Christ’s righteousness for ourselves, we become His disciples. During His ministry, Jesus called different people, such as Peter and James and John, to be His disciples, a call that implied leaving everything in order to follow Him (Matt. 4:20, 22; Mark 10:28; … Continue reading –>
His name was Nelson Mandela. He is enshrined in history as a testament to the greater impulses of man. After being imprisoned 27 years of his life, much of it in brutal conditions, Mandela emerged with a message of forgiveness and tolerance. His witness was so compelling that his name has become synonymous with greatness, … Continue reading –>
Jesus sat before the people and uttered what must have been to them shocking words: Unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 5:20, NKJV). Few were more scrupulous in the observance of the letter of the law than were the … Continue reading –>
Key Thought : God wants everyone to be saved, and the process of coming to Him is simple and available to all. [Lesson Plan for How to Be Saved July 28, 2014] 1. Have a volunteer read Luke 5:27-32. a. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text … Continue reading –>
