On October 29, 1993, seven astronauts were awakened by music coming from mission control in Housten, Texas. It was the song "From a Distance." Its message seemed so appropriate as they gazed down at the earth about 200 miles below. The song describes the beauty of the earth and the peace and harmony that exists from a distance. It goes, "From a distance, the world looks blue and green, and the snow-capped mountains white." Continuing, "God is watching us from a distance." But God never abandons us. In fact, his name "Immanuel" denotes "God with us." In this video, Pastor Ted Wilson and his wife, Nancy, talk about God's amazing gift for mankind. How has He been with us through this gift? In Isaiah 7:14, an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying: "Behold the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel, which is translated, 'God with us.'" When Adam and Eve sinned, God didn't watch from a distance. He searched for them and provided a promise that all was not lost. Similarly, when Moses climbed Mt. Sinai, God came down and spoke with him. He told him, "Let them make Me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them" (Exodus 25:8). When Jesus came to earth, He chose to live with a humble, dedicated, and God-fearing family. Ellen White writes: "Jesus left his home in glory, clothed his divinity with humanity, and came to a world marred and polluted by the curse of sin. He might have remained in his heavenly home, and received the adoration of angels; but he came to earth to seek and save the lost, the perishing. 'For your sakes, he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.' He, the Majesty of heaven, who was one with the Father, denied himself, made every possible sacrifice, in order that man might not perish, but have everlasting life" (Review and Herald, December 23, 1890, Art. A, par. 3). God was "despised and rejected by men. A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief…Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows…He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes, we are healed" (Is. 53:3-5). This same Jesus invites us to "call upon Me, and I will answer" (Psalm 91:15). He is coming very soon. Are you ready to meet Him? Have you accepted the gift of salvation? Have you accepted Him as your personal Savior? Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gspFrsNPsQ

What does it mean to be successful? Does it mean you have a powerful job or you make a lot of money? For a Christian who lives in this world, with a society driven to succeed at any cost, it can be hard to determine what success means to them. This week, Sam Neves and Jennifer Stymiest talk to Pavel Goia about what success means to him. You won’t want to miss this episode! To follow our official social media accounts, just follow the links below:
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Mary, the mother of Jesus, is considered honored and blessed among women. The angel visited her as she was about to marry Joseph and informed her that she would give birth to the Son of God. Mary’s role as the mother of the Savior is of great importance in the plan of redemption. She did not only give birth, but had the privilege to raise and take care of Jesus. While there were many blessings during this time, she also experienced pain and suffering as Jesus fulfilled His ministry. Every time we remember the birth, life, and death of Jesus, it is good to recognize and appreciate the role that Mary, His mother, played. We should never forget her faithfulness, devotion, and service to God. May we also share the same commitment to the service of Jesus, and others, as Mary. Watch the video to learn more about the blessings and burdens that Mary experienced as the mother of our Savior, Jesus Christ. To follow our official social media accounts, just follow the links below:
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#SamNeves Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAvnEQqi3T0

This week on ANN Over the weekend of December 10th, deadly tornadoes tore across six US states. More than 88 people have been confirmed dead and it is expected that number will rise. North American Division Adventist Community Services (ACS) has been working to keep up with the latest situation in the US states of Kentucky, Tennessee, Illinois, Arkansas, Missouri and Mississippi. Assessment is taking place at present and three of the North American Division conferences, or administrative offices, are actively putting together their ACS teams. The North American Division is supporting these efforts and has been in direct contact with conferences in that area and nearby: Kentucky-Tennessee, South Central, Arkansas-Louisiana, and Georgia-Cumberland conferences. An Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) Community Center was inaugurated in Nouakchott, the capital of the West African country of Mauritania. The ceremony took place on November 2 in El Mina. The new center was built with 34,000 plastic bottles filled with sand. The thermoregulatory building has three floors and was made with concern for environmental protection and recycling of plastic waste. The bottles were collected by community young people. Some of them were brought because they had become a precious commodity. The cost of the project was around $ 117, 000. It was co-financed by ADRA International and ADRA Belgium. This initiative is part of ADRA’s capacity building activities through education and training in small trades. In Brazil, representatives of the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) arrived in southern Bahia on Friday, December 10, to assess flood damage and initiate emergency response measures for 24 towns in the region. Since December 7, torrential rains and the collapse of a dam in the interior of Minas Gerais have contributed to widespread problems in southern Bahia. An extratropical cyclone that occurred on December 9 increased the damage, leading the Government to declare a state of public calamity in the territory. ADRA director for the state of Bahia, Leonardo Mendes, announced their first priority will be the distribution of drinking water to residents. ADRA International is also mobilizing resources that will be used in the response, based on the diagnosis and more immediate needs of families affected by the disaster. AdventHealth provides health screenings to student athletes in several of its US markets, including in Volusia County, Florida, where screenings have helped identify and address risk factors like cardiac conditions. Check out the difference it made in the life of one student athlete, Ethan Piazza. More from AdventHealth: (link) March 19 is Global Youth Day. It’s a time when young people from all over the world take time to “Be the Sermon” in their communities. This year’s theme is “Loving the Forgotten.” Check out for more news updates and inspiring stories within the Adventist community. Visit Adventist News Network Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLOhuJ54Jkc

Have you been in a situation where you didn't know what to do? May it be concerning work, family, relationship, and the like, you just needed clear direction in life. Did you know there is a key to being able to act wisely at all times? In this video, Pastor Ted Wilson would like to share it with you. It is found in the Testimonies to the Church, volume 5, page 43. It says: "Those who study the Bible, counsel with God, and rely upon Christ will be enabled to act wisely at all times and under all circumstances." What a wonderful promise, isn't it? But it involves conditions to fulfill. First, study the Bible. It doesn't say "read the Bible" but "study" it. It's that important because by studying the Word, we find God's knowledge. But we must search for it. God says in Proverbs 2:1-6, "If you receive my words, and treasure my commands within you, so that you incline your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding; Yes, if you cry out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding, if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; then you will understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding." Set aside time to listen to God through His Word. Accept it with an open mind and heart. It's advisable to begin with the book of Proverbs as it is a treasure chest filled with practical gems of wisdom. Also, its 31 chapters fit the 31 days of the month for daily reading. For more information on how to study the Bible, Pastor Ted encourages you to read the Seventh-day Adventist Church's "Methods of Bible Study" document at https://adventistbiblicalresearch.org/materials/methods-of-bible-study/. Second, counsel with God through the privilege of prayer. It says "counsel" which means not only speaking but also speaking. And just as we cannot rush through Bible study, neither can we rush through prayer. In Steps to Christ, page 97, we are warned to not "take counsel with our doubts and fears, or try to solve everything that we cannot see clearly…But if we come to God, feeling helpless and dependent, as we really are, and in humble trusting faith make known our wants to Him whose knowledge is infinite…He can and will attend to our cry, and will let light shine into our hearts. Through sincere prayer, we are brought into connection with the mind of the Infinite." Through sincere prayer, we are brought into connection with the mind of God. Mark 1:35 says, "Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed." Third, rely upon Christ. It involves acknowledging that we can do nothing by ourselves. As Isaiah 53:6 states, "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, everyone to his own way…" but praise God, through Christ we can be "more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded," wrote the apostle Paul in his letter to the Romans 8:37, "that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." To achieve this absolute reliance, we must stop relying on ourselves. Surrender our will to God, saying, "Lord, 'not my will, but Yours be done'" (Luke 22:42). By doing so, God will work in marvelous ways. "When in humble faith we rely on Christ as our sufficiency, our strength, our all and in all, then it is that the power of God rests upon our work" (The Gospel Herald, March 1, 1901, par. 9). Again, "those who study the Bible, counsel with God, and rely upon Christ will be enabled to act wisely at all times and under all circumstances" (Testimonies to the Church, volume 5, page 43). May God encourage and strengthen you as you claim these promises as your own. Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4ymV0n9Jt8