King David should have known better. He should have known from the experience of his best friend Jonathan that when you are in covenant relationship with God, it doesn’t matter whether you have a few men or many; God can give you the victory. In 1 Samuel 14:1-23, the Bible records the story of how Saul’s … Continue reading –>
Read 2 Chronicles 20:1-22. What important spiritual principles can we take from this story for ourselves, whatever struggles we are facing? Toward the close of Jehoshaphat’s reign, Judah was invaded. Jehoshaphat was a man of courage and valor. For years he had been strengthening his armies and his fortified cities. He was well prepared to meet … Continue reading –>
Sabbath Afternoon Read for This Week’s Study: 2 Chronicles 20:1-22, 1 Chronicles 21:1-14, 2 Peter 3:3-12, 1 John 2:15-17, Revelation 13:11-17. Memory Text: “Offer to God thanksgiving, and pay your vows to the Most High. Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me” (Psalm 50:14-15, , NKJV). Sometimes our world seems to be spinning … Continue reading –>
Meet Them Where They Are By Andrew McChesney Simo Vehkavuori, a retired pastor, sensed an inner voice inviting him to keep on walking after he arrived at a lake crowded with sunbathers and swimmers in Finland. Simo followed a path past several smaller lakes. “Go farther,” the inner voice said. Simo reached a small lake … Continue reading –>
Further Thought: Ellen G. White wrote two chapters on this important topic of distribution of our assets. See “To (Aged and) Wealthy Parents,” in Testimonies for the Church, vol. 3, Pages 116-130, and “Wills and Legacies,” in Testimonies for the Church, vol. 4, Pages 476-485. There is also a section that discusses estate planning in Counsels on Stewardship, Pages 323-335. … Continue reading –>
Though it’s hard to know what life would have been like on earth had humans not sinned, one thing we can know for sure: there would have been no hoarding, no greed, no poverty — things that have plagued our world since recorded history. Our sense of ownership, of what we have worked for and, … Continue reading –>
What principles can we take from the following texts regarding how we should deal with money? 1 Timothy 6:17 2 Corinthians 4:18 Proverbs 30:8 Eccles. 5:10 Money can have a powerful hold on human beings, a hold that has led to the ruin of many. Who has not heard of people who have done terrible … Continue reading –>
In Old Testament times, many of the children of Israel were farmers and shepherds. Thus some of God’s promised blessings were couched in farm language. For example, in Proverbs 3:9-10, , God says that if we are financially faithful with Him, our “barns will be filled with plenty” (NKJV). It is likely that many Christians don’t have … Continue reading –>
Someone once asked famous evangelist Billy Graham what surprised him most about life, now that he was old (Graham was in his 60s at the time). Graham’s answer? “The brevity of it.” No question, life does go by quickly. What do the following texts teach about human life here? Psalm 49:17; 1 Timothy 6:6-7; Psalm 39:11; James 4:14; Eccles. 2:18-22. Not … Continue reading –>
Read Luke 12:16-21. What’s the relevant message to us here? What strong rebuke did the Lord give to the foolish man, and what should that say to us regarding our attitude toward what we own? Though the message is broader than this, one could argue that this was a story Jesus told about what not to do … Continue reading –>
