With the arrival of sin, it did not take long for the world to break down further. Sparked by jealousy, misunderstanding, and anger, the first murder involved the first pair of brothers. When God questioned Cain about his sin, his reply is probably ironic and rhetorical—“Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Gen. 4:9)—and the answer implied by … Continue reading –>
One thing God gave Adam and Eve that He didn’t give anything else on earth was moral freedom. They were moral beings in ways that plants, animals, and trees could never be. God valued this moral freedom so much that He allowed the possibility that His people would choose to disobey. In doing so He risked all … Continue reading –>
According to the Bible’s record, the Garden of Eden and the newly created earth were places of abundance, created for life to flourish and particularly for human beings to enjoy. But God also gave the first man and woman—and the rest of us who would come after them—a role to play in His creation. It … Continue reading –>
It is easy to feel homesick for Eden. There is something in the brief descriptions of the Garden that God created as the home for Adam and Eve that sparks a note of longing in our hearts. We may not understand how such a world would work, but we feel we would like to experience … Continue reading –>
This world and all life on it, our own life and all we do with it—our existence begins with God, “for in Him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28, NKJV). Here’s where the Bible’s story begins: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Gen. 1:1, NKJV). And the fact that He … Continue reading –>
Read for This Week’s Study: Genesis 1:1-3:24, Acts 17:28, Psalm 148:1-14, Ps. 24:1, Gen. 4:1-9, Matt. 22:37-39, Rev. 14:7. Memory Text: “He who oppresses the poor reproaches his Maker, but he who honors Him has mercy on the needy” (Proverbs 14:31, NKJV). Have you ever worked to create something—perhaps an item of art or craft, a meal, or some other creative work—only to … Continue reading –>
Ministering to Those in Need Seventh-day Adventists are called to proclaim “the everlasting gospel” (Rev. 14:6) to all the world. By so doing, we are simply obeying Jesus’ words about making disciples, baptising them, and “teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you” (Matt. 28:20, NKJV). And among the things He commanded was that … Continue reading –>
My Three Wishes By Lu Shen-Xiong A year after my baptism, I applied for a new job as a truck driver because of Sabbath conflicts at my previous workplace. During the job interview, announced that I had three requests: No Sabbath work No pork in the company meal boxes A loan of 50,000 Taiwanese dollars … Continue reading –>
Further Thought: Ellen G. White, “Carmel”, pages 143-154, in Prophets and Kings; “The Voice in the Wilderness”, pages 97-108, in The Desire of Ages. “Our message must be as direct as was that of John. He rebuked kings for their iniquity. Notwithstanding the peril his life was in, he never allowed truth to languish on his lips. Our work in … Continue reading –>
In a sense, we as Adventists see ourselves in the role of John the Baptist. The herald of reform and repentance sought to prepare the way for the first coming of Jesus; we, as a movement, see ourselves doing the same for the Second Coming. Read prayerfully Luke 1:17. How do these words capture our message? The … Continue reading –>
