Seeing the Big Picture By Andrew McChesney, adventistmission.org A family of five came nearly every day to the Seventh-day Adventist compound in South Sudan’s capital, Juba, to ask for food. Peter Fenoy, a missionary physician running the small Munuki Seventh-day Adventist Clinic on the compound, found the family’s actions puzzling. “What is going on with … Continue reading –>
Further Thought: Read Ellen G. White, “The Privilege of Prayer”, pages 93–104, in Steps to Christ. “The work of restoration and reform carried on by the returned exiles, under the leadership of Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah, presents a picture of a work of spiritual restoration that is to be wrought in the closing days of this earth’s history. … Continue reading –>
Read Ezra 8:21-23, Ezra 8:31-32. Would you consider Ezra’s decision not to speak to the king as foolish or brave? How did Ezra and the people show humility? Sometime later, Nehemiah accepted the king’s entourage for protection. But in Ezra’s instance, he believed that God could show Himself best if they did not ask anything of the … Continue reading –>
Key Thought: Central to the stories of leaders in Israel is the word of God. It transformed their lives and thinking and resulted in the whole program of revival and reformation. December 28, 2019 1. Have a volunteer read Nehemiah 4:7-23. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in … Continue reading –>
What do the following texts teach us about the driving force in the lives of both Ezra and Nehemiah? (Neh. 2:1-10, Ezra 7:8-10). In all that they did, Ezra and Nehemiah were seeking to see God’s will done in the lives of His people. Yes, the people had messed up; yes, they were punished for it. But God, … Continue reading –>
Read Nehemiah 4:7-23. In what ways did Nehemiah show courage? What gave him this courage? Nehemiah stood up against their enemies, who tried to intimidate the Jews. Nehemiah responded by taking the initiative to get the people ready to fight. Nehemiah did not just say “All right, God, You do it all”. Instead, he had the … Continue reading –>
We open our singing this Sabbath with the greatest of leaders being in Hymn 619, “Lead On O King Eternal”. We then look to Ezra and Nehemiah and find that they were very faithful to God: Hymn 602, “O Brother, Be Faithful”. Their leadership is reflected in Hymn 653, “Lead Them, My God, to Thee”. … Continue reading –>
Because they understood. The book of Nehemiah delivers a refreshing image about the value of leadership among God’s people. How can we apply the importance of God-inspired leadership to our fellow Christians today? Do you consider yourself to be one of God’s leaders today? If not, why not? Does God have a leadership role for … Continue reading –>
Look at the following texts. What do they tell us about these leaders and their influence over the people they ruled? 1 Kings 15:26, 1 Kings 15:34 2 Kings 13:1-3 John 11:46-53 It is a sobering thought to many of us who hold positions of leadership in any capacity that our leadership has the potential to … Continue reading –>
All through the Bible, we can find examples of leadership, both good and bad, and sometimes even a mixture of both. Bad leaders, at times, have done some good things, while good leaders, at times, have done some bad things. After all, all leaders are human beings and, as such, are capable of both good … Continue reading –>
