Matthew 21:22 – "If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer." Tag someone in need of prayer and kindly share your prayer requests here. https://bit.ly/3GdFXpR Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-mfZGHtbFM
‘Stronger Together’ Campaign will Strengthen Loma Linda University Health’s Healthcare, Education, and Research Efforts
Loma Linda University Health officially launched “Stronger Together,” a $300 million initiative intended to support researchers’ efforts to find new treatments for those facing life’s most challenging…… Source: https://adventist.news/en/news/stronger-together-campaign-will-strengthen-loma-linda-university-healths-healthcare-education-and-research-efforts
SATIRE: White Estate Ditches Plans to Make EGW Smile in Historic Photos After Kate Middleton Fiasco
The Ellen G. White (EGW) Estate has called off its mission to plaster a grin on Adventist cofounder Ellen White’s face in photographs. The sudden change of heart follows the uproar caused by Princess Kate Middleton’s digitally altered UK Mother’s Day snapshot. A spokesperson for the White Estate said, “White wasn’t too keen on flashing […] Source: https://atoday.org/satire-white-estate-ditches-plans-to-make-egw-smile-in-historic-photos-after-kate-middleton-fiasco/
We All Need Each Other
I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord. Psalm 122:1
“Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” Hebrews 10:25
Over the years, I have heard many people tell me they don’t need a church. They can just study the Bible for themselves. They don’t need to go to a church that is filled with hypocrites, even if there is always room for one more. However, you can’t have a “one-person” church and fulfill the counsel in Hebrews 10:25. By setting up His church, God does more than command us to study and worship. He commands us to do more than spread the gospel by ourselves. Hebrews 10:25 is a command to be social. Paul does not merely say, “Do not give up hope and do not stop studying the Scriptures. He says, “Do not stop meeting together in a social setting.”
Photo by William Earnhardt
Paul, of all people, knew the importance of a church. Once he was converted in Acts 9, God directed him to the city where he met Ananias and Barnabas and the rest of the church. Even though Paul had a one-on-one encounter with God, he still needed to understand the importance of living and growing in a church setting.
Paul counseled us to keep being social, because he knew it was not good for man to be alone. Now think about this for a moment. God creates Adam. Adam has God and God has Adam. Yet God does not say, “Adam has Me, and I am all that he needs.” No, God Himself says, “It is not good for man to be alone.” Genesis 2:18
Now let this soak in. God Himself is saying, “I am not all Adam needs! He needs a community.”
If you believe God is all you need and that you don’t need anyone else in your life, then you are contradicting the God you serve! He Himself says He is not all you need. You need a community of believers. God created a mate for Adam, and thus ultimately they were to fulfill God’s purpose of creating a community. God knew Adam needed more than just to be able to worship God alone. He needed to be able to worship and serve God with a community of believers.
If you ever date someone who tries to isolate you from your family and friends, be very concerned about that. If their love is a godly love, they will love like God and encourage you to be social and active in your family and community. If God Himself realizes we need more in our lives than just Him, how dare a mere mortal human being tell us they are all we need! If their love is from God, they will not be egotistical and tell us we don’t need anyone but them. God’s love is a healthy love which does not isolate. A love that tries to isolate is very unhealthy. Real love does not isolate from community. Real love, like God’s love ,encourages community.
Worshiping in a social setting, such as a church, means we will meet hypocrites, and they will meet hypocrites when they meet us. Hypocrites are just people who do not live up to all of their ideals, and that is all of us. But by God’s grace, He is getting us there, and He will get us there. In the meantime we need each other to get there.
Years ago I had a community Bible study where people of all faiths were invited to our church on Wednesday mornings. One morning an elderly lady said something that has always stayed with me. She said, “If someone in the church keeps rubbing you the wrong way, maybe God is just using them to polish your character.” I think she is right. God says it is not good for us to be alone. We need a community of believers. Some will encourage us, and even those with whom we don’t get along the best, will help polish our characters.
We need each other!
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Eighty-four Teams Achieve First Place at the ABE/PBE Union Finals in Aberdeen
Over 2000 Adventurers and Pathfinders, including staff and spectators, converged on the city of Aberdeen on 9 March for a British Union level of the popular worldwide Bible quiz, known as The Adventurer and Pathfinder Bible Experience. It was a day filled with nervous energy, intense concentration, but also rhythmic sound and excitement as 124 participating teams set their sights on achieving the coveted “First Place.” Teams who reach this goal become eligible to participate in the Division…Source: https://adventist.uk/news/article/go/2024-03-13/eighty-four-teams-achieve-first-place-at-the-abepbe-union-finals-in-aberdeen-1/
Adventist Book Centre in the South Pacific Celebrates Book Launch
Adventist Book Centre (ABC) managers and staff from across the South Pacific Division celebrated the launch of As Bright as the Stars, Sukeshinie Goonatilleke’s second book of stories from the Reforma…… Source: https://adventist.news/en/news/adventist-book-centre-in-the-south-pacific-celebrates-book-launch
The European Tri-Division Publishing Workshop Empowers Publishing Ministries
Over 50 publishing leaders and special guests gathered at the stunning campus of the Adventist University of France in Collonges-sous-Salève from 18-22 February to explore best practices and share ins…… Source: https://adventist.news/en/news/the-european-tri-division-publishing-workshop-empowers-publishing-ministries
Adventists in the Philippines Celebrate Christian Home and Marriage Week
Even in Adventist homes, marital struggles and challenges are not uncommon. Amidst these trials, couples need a guiding resource—a reminder to uphold their vows, reaffirm their values, and reconstruct…… Source: https://adventist.news/en/news/adventists-in-the-philippines-celebrate-christian-home-and-marriage-week
Proverbi 14:18 – Mercoledì 13 marzo 2024
“Gli sciocchi ereditano stoltezza, ma i prudenti s’incoronano di scienza.” (Proverbi 14:18) Meditazione giornaliera “Apri la porta del tuo cuore”. Rubrica a cura di Anna Cupertino. Speaker: Daniele Magliulo. Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9aB9cd8Bak
Always the Same
Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men. Proverbs 22:29.
From the dungeon Joseph was exalted to be ruler over all the land of Egypt. It was a position of high honor, yet it was beset with difficulty and peril. One cannot stand upon a lofty height without danger. As the tempest leaves unharmed the lowly flower of the valley, while it uproots the stately tree upon the mountaintop, so those who have maintained their integrity in humble life may be dragged down to the pit by the temptations that assail worldly success and honor. But Joseph’s character bore the test alike of adversity and prosperity. The same fidelity to God was manifest when he stood in the palace of the Pharaohs as when in a prisoner’s cell. He was still a stranger in a heathen land, separated from his kindred, the worshipers of God; but he fully believed that the divine hand had directed his steps, and in constant reliance upon God he faithfully discharged the duties of his position. Through Joseph the attention of the king and great men of Egypt was directed to the true God; and though they adhered to their idolatry, they learned to respect the principles revealed in the life and character of the worshiper of Jehovah.
How was Joseph enabled to make such a record of firmness of character, uprightness, and wisdom?—In his early years he had consulted duty rather than inclination; and the integrity, the simple trust, the noble nature, of the youth bore fruit in the deeds of the man. A pure and simple life had favored the vigorous development of both physical and intellectual powers. Communion with God through His works and the contemplation of the grand truths entrusted to the inheritors of faith had elevated and ennobled his spiritual nature, broadening and strengthening the mind as no other study could do. Faithful attention to duty in every station, from the lowliest to the most exalted, had been training every power for its highest service. He who lives in accordance with the Creator’s will is securing to himself the truest and noblest development of character.17Ibid., 222.
Conflict and Courage p. 77
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Prayer Requests
—-Our family are going through some severe trials. Please pray for us. LH
—-Prayers for my cousin Amy. She’s having emergency gall bladder surgery. JW
—-Pleas pray for my husband and I as we face his health challenge together with God. BF
—-Please pray for our family. Throughout this winter we and many in our church have had one virus after another. Pray that we all recover fully. Rose
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Dear Friends,
The older I get, the more I think about the time when “we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” 2 Cor 5:10 Solemn thought. Yet, it doesn’t have to be a scary one.
John assures us, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. . . . My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” 1 John 2:1
Since, “the wages of sin is death” (Rom 6:23), how vital it is that when our case comes up before the Great Judge that we have Someone who will plead in our behalf. Our Dear Advocate exclaims, “Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God: But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God.” Luke 12:8,9 How essential that our sins have been confessed and forsaken beforehand.
What a blessing is forgiveness! Without forgiveness, we all stand guilty before our Maker just as deserving of death as is the worst of murderers. Our Great Judge declares of Himself, “The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin.” Ex 34:6,7 Praise God! He has promised, “I will forgive [your] iniquity, and I will remember [your] sin no more.” Jer 31:34 To Ezekiel was given an explanation of God’s justice and mercy, “As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die?” Eze 33:11
Think of it! If we turn from our evil ways and follow Jesus fully, none of the sins that we have done, no matter how heinous our crimes against the government of God, will be mentioned unto us when we appear before Him. They are erased from the record of our life! Praise the Lord for His grace and mercy! David sang, “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile. . . . I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin.” Ps 32:1-5
“Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.” Isa 55:6,7 May we “therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” Heb 4:16 May we “give diligence to make [our] calling and election sure” by bringing all of our sins to the Great Sin-Bearer. 2 Peter 1:10 May we continually walk in newness of life, doing as He did, speaking as He spoke, forgiving as He forgives, is my prayer.
Rose
