Further Thought: Though nothing in the Bible warns against wealth, nothing in the Bible talks about wealth as increasing one’s spiritual commitment, either. In fact, the opposite danger is true. “The love of money, the desire for wealth, is the golden chain that binds them [people] to Satan.” — Ellen G. White, Steps to Christ, p. 44. … Continue reading –>
The Bible paints a painful picture of the world before the second coming of Jesus. Daniel talks about “a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that time” (Daniel 12:1, NKJV). Considering some of the troublous times in the past, what he is referring to here must be pretty … Continue reading –>
The parables and teachings of Jesus, the stories of Bible characters, and the counsel of Ellen G. White all indicate clearly that there is no halfway commitment to Christ. Either we are or we are not on the Lord’s side. When asked by a scribe which commandment was the greatest, Jesus answered, “You shall love … Continue reading –>
What should Seventh-day Adventist Christians do in response to difficult times? Do we hunker down in a survival mode? No, in fact, just the opposite is true. Because we know that the end of the world and the second coming of Christ is near, we want to use our assets to tell others the good … Continue reading –>
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 –>
