The Great Controversy - Bible Texts

2024 Quarter 2 Lesson 05 - Faith Against All Odds

Sabbath Readings
27th of April

Faith Against All Odds

Psalm 119:162 (ASV)

162I rejoice at thy word,

As one that findeth great spoil.

John 16:13–15 (ASV)

13Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he shall guide you into all the truth: for he shall not speak from himself; but what things soever he shall hear, these shall he speak: and he shall declare unto you the things that are to come. 14He shall glorify me: for he shall take of mine, and shall declare it unto you. 15All things whatsoever the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he taketh of mine, and shall declare it unto you.

2 Peter 1:20–21 (ASV)

20knowing this first, that no prophecy of scripture is of private interpretation. 21For no prophecy ever came by the will of man: but men spake from God, being moved by the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 2:8–9 (ASV)

8for by grace have ye been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9not of works, that no man should glory.

Romans 3:23–24 (ASV)

23for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God; 24being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

Romans 6:15–18 (ASV)

15What then? shall we sin, because we are not under law, but under grace? God forbid. 16Know ye not, that to whom ye present yourselves as servants unto obedience, his servants ye are whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? 17But thanks be to God, that, whereas ye were servants of sin, ye became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching whereunto ye were delivered; 18and being made free from sin, ye became servants of righteousness.

Psalm 119:11 (ASV)

11Thy word have I laid up in my heart,

That I might not sin against thee.

Sunday Readings
28th of April

God’s Word Alone

Psalm 119:103–104 (ASV)

103How sweet are thy words unto my taste!

Yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!

104Through thy precepts I get understanding:

Therefore I hate every false way.

Psalm 119:147 (ASV)

147I anticipated the dawning of the morning, and cried:

I hoped in thy words.

Psalm 119:162 (ASV)

162I rejoice at thy word,

As one that findeth great spoil.

1 Peter 1:23 (ASV)

23having been begotten again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, through the word of God, which liveth and abideth.

Revelation 22:2 (ASV)

2in the midst of the street thereof. And on this side of the river and on that was the tree of life, bearing twelve manner of fruits, yielding its fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

Monday Readings
29th of April

Passing on God’s Word

2 Corinthians 4:1–6 (ASV)

Therefore seeing we have this ministry, even as we obtained mercy, we faint not: 2but we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by the manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. 3And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled in them that perish: 4in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn upon them. 5For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6Seeing it is God, that said, Light shall shine out of darkness, who shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 2:14 (ASV)

14But thanks be unto God, who always leadeth us in triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest through us the savor of his knowledge in every place.

2 Corinthians 13:8 (ASV)

8For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.

Daniel 12:3 (ASV)

3And they that are wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.

Revelation 14:13 (ASV)

13And I heard a voice from heaven saying, Write, Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from henceforth: yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; for their works follow with them.

Tuesday Readings
30th of April

Enlightened by the Spirit

John 14:25–26 (ASV)

25These things have I spoken unto you, while yet abiding with you. 26But the Comforter, even the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said unto you.

John 16:13–15 (ASV)

13Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he shall guide you into all the truth: for he shall not speak from himself; but what things soever he shall hear, these shall he speak: and he shall declare unto you the things that are to come. 14He shall glorify me: for he shall take of mine, and shall declare it unto you. 15All things whatsoever the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he taketh of mine, and shall declare it unto you.

2 Peter 1:20–21 (ASV)

20knowing this first, that no prophecy of scripture is of private interpretation. 21For no prophecy ever came by the will of man: but men spake from God, being moved by the Holy Spirit.

Wednesday Readings
1st of May

Christ Alone . . . Grace Alone

Ephesians 2:8–9 (ASV)

8for by grace have ye been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9not of works, that no man should glory.

Romans 3:23–24 (ASV)

23for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God; 24being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

Romans 6:23 (ASV)

23For the wages of sin is death; but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 5:8–10 (ASV)

8But God commendeth his own love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9Much more then, being now justified by his blood, shall we be saved from the wrath of God through him. 10For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, shall we be saved by his life;

Romans 6:23 (ASV)

23For the wages of sin is death; but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Thursday Readings
2nd of May

Obedience: The Fruit of Faith

Romans 3:27–31 (ASV)

27Where then is the glorying? It is excluded. By what manner of law? of works? Nay: but by a law of faith. 28We reckon therefore that a man is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. 29Or is God the God of Jews only? is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yea, of Gentiles also: 30if so be that God is one, and he shall justify the circumcision by faith, and the uncircumcision through faith.

31Do we then make the law of none effect through faith? God forbid: nay, we establish the law.

Romans 6:15–18 (ASV)

15What then? shall we sin, because we are not under law, but under grace? God forbid. 16Know ye not, that to whom ye present yourselves as servants unto obedience, his servants ye are whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? 17But thanks be to God, that, whereas ye were servants of sin, ye became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching whereunto ye were delivered; 18and being made free from sin, ye became servants of righteousness.

Romans 8:1–2 (ASV)

There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus. 2For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus made me free from the law of sin and of death.

1 Peter 2:2 (ASV)

2as newborn babes, long for the spiritual milk which is without guile, that ye may grow thereby unto salvation;

2 Peter 3:18 (ASV)

18But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and for ever. Amen.

Colossians 1:10 (ASV)

10to walk worthily of the Lord unto all pleasing, bearing fruit in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;

Ephesians 4:18–24 (ASV)

18being darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardening of their heart; 19who being past feeling gave themselves up to lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. 20But ye did not so learn Christ; 21if so be that ye heard him, and were taught in him, even as truth is in Jesus: 22that ye put away, as concerning your former manner of life, the old man, that waxeth corrupt after the lusts of deceit; 23and that ye be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24and put on the new man, that after God hath been created in righteousness and holiness of truth.

Hebrews 11:10 (ASV)

10for he looked for the city which hath the foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

Friday Readings
3rd of May

Further Thought

2 Kings 6:17 (ASV)

17And Elisha prayed, and said, Jehovah, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And Jehovah opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.