Closer To Heaven
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by Jason O’Rourke | 17 July 2026 | Recently, Conrad Vine—once head of Adventist Frontier Missions, a leader in the Berrien Springs Village Church, and a gadfly to the Michigan Conference, recently preached a sermon entitled “Entropy.” The sermon was widely shared, and cheered by many Adventists who listened to it. Yet there is much […] Source: https://atoday.org/entropy-a-theological-critique-of-conrad-vines-challenge-to-the-adventist-church/
Are you sure you know what you think you do? Some lies are loud. Others are quiet, disguised as information, concern, even conviction. In our culture of information—where falsehoods travel faster than wisdom—we can be influenced without our knowing. Research says false news spreads faster than accurate, unbiased news. Before facts can be verified, lies cross borders and oceans at lightning speed, because technology maximizes engagement, not truth. Algorithms and clicks are designed for clicks, not understanding.
This model is not new; Satan used it in Eden. Deception borrows the language of truth, just as the serpent did. Our only defense is what God gave us—His Word. Through the Scripture we hold in our hearts and in our minds, we can stop, pause, examine, decipher, before forwarding, sharing, and commenting. God’s truth in the face of news-driven anxiety will win every time. About the series From the Heart is a weekly devotional series in which Pastor Köhler reflects on what it means to be grounded in the Bible and focused on the mission, collectively and individually. Each episode is grounded in the four pillars of the Seventh-day Adventist Church strategic plan: Communion with God, Identity in Christ, Unity through the Holy Spirit, and Mission for All. The series connects biblical faith to everyday life, sharing short reflections and glimpses of how God is at work through the Adventist Church around the world. Subscribe and join us each week as we live out our faith and prepare for Jesus's return. – The Seventh-day Adventist Church has been an established denomination since 1863. It is a global Christian family with over 23 million members who hold the Bible as the ultimate authority. We are believers committed to helping people understand the Bible to find freedom, healing, and hope in Jesus. Want to learn more about the Seventh-day Adventist Church?
Visit our website at: https://www.adventist.org/ Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFALmhpKA30
Short answer: No. We don’t believe skipping meat makes anyone holier or earns extra favor with God. Seventh-day Adventists have promoted a plant-based diet for over 150 years, guided by biblical principles and the health message from co-founder Ellen White. We see the body as the temple of the Holy Spirit, so caring for it […] Source: https://atoday.org/do-adventists-think-its-holier-to-be-vegetarian/
This Sabbath, remember that God made you and is still working in your life. Rest in His care, and let His presence bring peace to your heart. What does the Sabbath mean to you, personally? Share in the comments. #HappySabbath #AWR360 Source: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/20fIY85IR9E
Daily Lesson for Sabbath 18th of July 2026
Image © Pacific Press
1 Corinthians 5:1-13, 2 Corinthians 2:5-10, 1 Corinthians 6:1-13, 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; 1 Corinthians 7:1-9.
Memory Text:
“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20, NIV).
Our brains are like sponges: whatever is brought to them, via our senses, stays in them. We might not be conscious of most of what comes in (we’d be unable to think clearly if we did remember everything), but it’s all there, and, to some degree, impacts what we think, feel, and do.
That’s why it’s so easy for us, even as Christians, to be impacted by all the bad things around us. The Christian church, from the start, has struggled with this problem. Where, for instance, did Sunday keeping come from? Did the church just pull it out of the air? Of course not. It came from the culture around it.
And we can see this principle unfolding here in Corinth. After an appeal against factionalism (1 Corinthians 1:1-31; 1 Corinthians 2:1-16; 1 Corinthians 3:1-23; 1 Corinthians 4:1-21), Paul now turns to issues related to sexual immorality, lawsuits, prostitution, marriage, and singleness (1 Corinthians 5:1-13; 1 Corinthians 6:1-20; 1 Corinthians 7:1-40). The standards of the world affected them extensively. The factionalism portrayed in 1 Corinthians 1:1-31; 1 Corinthians 2:1-16; 1 Corinthians 3:1-23; 1 Corinthians 4:1-21 opened the door for the moral behavior denounced in the ensuing chapters. How does Paul seek to address this sin in the church, and what lessons can we take from what he wrote?
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