This week on ANN. The Adventist Church began its Annual Council business meetings, starting with the LEAD Conference late last week. LEAD stands for ‘Leadership, Education and Development.” The Department of Adventist Mission presented the conference this year, focusing on “Through the Storms: Mission During Crises.” The Annual Council is one of two yearly meetings of the Seventh-day Adventist World Church’s Executive Committee. The Executive Committee is the second-highest governing body of the denomination. It is second to the delegates of the General Conference in Session, which takes place every five years. This year due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Annual Council meetings are taking place both in-person and online. Newly elected Secretary of the Seventh-day Adventist World Church, Erton Kohler, opened his secretariat report to the 2021 Annual Council. During the Secretariat Report, Kohler gave many examples of the amazing work the Adventist Church has done globally during the 18 months of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, Director of the Adventist Archives, Statistics, and Research department, David Trim, told attendees that there can only be one topic: “The impact on the church of the COVID-19 pandemic—what has happened; and what the statistics suggest might happen in the near future.” The 2021 Annual Council Secretariat also focused on Mission. Even during the pandemic, the Adventist Church continued to train and send missionaries, including International Service Employees (ISE) and Adventist Volunteers worldwide. While methods have been updated because of the pandemic, Adventists everywhere are still answering the call “I Will Go.” Adventist Volunteer Services (AVS) also continued to engage volunteers and service. AVS launched a new website and “Passport to Mission” online course updated in collaboration with the Institute of World Mission. AVS also expanded the One year in Mission project to include the community where the volunteer is located. The final segment of the 2021 Annual Council Secretariat Report focused on the Mission. Director of Adventist Mission, Gary Krause, started his report saying, “We are praying for a mission that is stronger than crises, and we’ve seen in the past year through the pandemic that Adventist Mission has continued going forward because of people willing to say ‘I Will Go.” A Mission Priority System is now working to help prioritize mission projects based on mission challenges and unreached people. Treasurer of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, Paul Doulas, opened his inaugural Treasury Report to the 2021 Annual Council’s Executive committee with some good news. He said, “ In looking at the state of our finances at the end of August, I can report that the financial picture is much stronger today than it was a year ago,” Douglas told the hybrid of in-person and virtual delegates. While many things contributed to the positive financial outlook for the Church, including cash and investments increase, account receivable decrease, and notes receivable decrease, Douglas reported tithe being ahead by 5.2% compared to last year. The financial markets have provided positive results for us so far this year. Looking to the end of this year and into the next, Douglas believes the positive trends will continue. During the Treasurer’s Report, Undertreasurer of the World Church Ray Wahlen reported on budgets and tithe. Wahlen said the approach to the 2022 budget would be with a storing emphasis on Mission. In the past, the Adventist Church has usually set the income at 100 percent of the actual tithe and world mission offerings from two years before. Due to the current state of the world and to avoid taking undue risks, the Church will use 100 percent of 2019’s actual income, which will strike a balance between the risk of overstating income potential and the possibility of faster economic recovery. President of the Adventist World Church, Ted N.C. Wilson opened the Annual Council session on Leadership, Education, and Development (LEAD) Conference this year. He asked delegates to “lean on the Master of the universe in times of trouble…and not take your eyes off Christ or His goal for the Church.” This sentiment was echoed throughout the conference, which centered on the theme “Through the Storms: Mission During Crises.” This theme was divided into two sections: “Storms from the Past,” presented Thursday night, October 7, and “Current and Future Crises,” presented Friday morning, October 8. For the latest news and current events within the Adventist community, visit Adventist News Network. Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-UDZh7FNz8

Are you worn out? Ready for a break? As simple as it sounds, many of us today struggle to hit pause from our busy work and personal lives. As a result, we deal with physical, mental, and spiritual problems that all come from lack of rest and relaxation. So how do we truly rest? Do we have to go on an expensive luxury retreat in the desert or go hide in a nuclear bunker? Guess again. Check out our latest Instagram story about 7 easy, no cost ways to rest in Jesus. Let us know how it goes! #rest #reset #takeabreak Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyojWSqvAPc

O próximo sábado é o Dia do Espírito de Profecia / Herança Adventista. É um dia especial para comemorar como o adventismo começou e como Deus tem liderado a igreja. No Boletim da Conferência Geral de 1893, página 24, Ellen White escreveu: "Ao recapitular a nossa história passada, havendo revisado cada passo de progresso até ao nosso nível atual, posso dizer: Louvado seja Deus! Ao ver o que Deus tem realizado, encho-me de admiração e de confiança na liderança de Cristo. Nada temos que recear quanto ao futuro, a menos que esqueçamos a maneira em que o Senhor nos tem guiado, e os ensinos que nos ministrou no passado. Agora somos um povo forte, se depositarmos nossa confiança no Senhor; pois estamos lidando com as poderosas verdades da Palavra de Deus. Temos tudo pelo que agradecer." Na verdade, é bom lembrar como Deus nos guiou no passado e como Ele nos ensinou Suas poderosas verdades na Bíblia. Por esse motivo, comemoramos a herança adventista e valorizamos o dom do Espírito de Profecia. Em Apocalipse 12:17, lemos: "Irou-se o dragão contra a mulher e foi pelejar com os restantes da sua descendência, os que guardam os mandamentos de Deus e têm o testemunho de Jesus;" Agora, qual é o testemunho de Jesus? Apocalipse 19:10 diz que é "o espírito de profecia." Que presente importante e oportuno! No entanto, Ellen White nos alerta em Mensagens Escolhidas – Volume 2, página 78: "O último engano de Satanás será exatamente anular o testemunho do Espírito de Deus… Satanás trabalhará engenhosamente, por diferentes maneiras e por instrumentos diversos, para perturbar a confiança do povo remanescente de Deus no testemunho verdadeiro. Introduzirá visões falsas para desencaminhar, e misturará o falso com o verdadeiro, criando tamanha aversão no povo para que considerem tudo quanto traz o nome de visões como uma espécie de fanatismo; as almas sinceras, porém, comparando o falso com o verdadeiro, serão habilitadas a distinguir entre elas. . ." Mas o Espírito de Profecia não é a Bíblia, nem é igual a ela. Mas, como diz White, ele nos leva à Bíblia. E é inspirado pelo testemunho de Jesus. No livro Mensagens Escolhidas – Volume 1, página 41, nos é dito que "Por meio de Seu Santo Espírito a voz de Deus nos tem vindo continuamente em advertências e instruções, para confirmar a fé dos crentes no Espírito de Profecia. Tem vindo repetidamente a ordem: Escreve as coisas que te tenho dado para confirmar a fé de Meu povo na atitude que eles tomaram. O tempo e a provação não anularam as instruções dadas, mas através de anos de sofrimento e sacrifício têm estabelecido a verdade do testemunho comunicado. As instruções dadas nos primeiros tempos da mensagem, devem ser conservadas como instruções dignas de confiança para se seguirem nesses seus dias finais." Agora, o testemunho de Jesus faz parte do movimento adventista. É um presente de Deus, centralizado em Cristo e em tudo o que representa – salvação, graça e ministério no santuário celestial. Ao nos aproximarmos do fim dos tempos, precisamos ficar perto de Deus estudando Sua Palavra e seguindo Seus conselhos no Espírito de Profecia. Esse testemunho serve como a luz menor que leva à luz maior da Palavra de Deus. Que Deus abençoe você ao descobrir o maravilhoso presente que Ele lhe deu por meio do Espírito de Profecia. Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ty2DFhyLXNA

Este próximo sábado es el Día del Espíritu de Profecía y la Herencia Adventista. Es un día especial para conmemorar cómo comenzó el Adventismo y cómo Dios ha estado dirigiendo a la iglesia. En una carta leída a los delegados en el Congreso de la Asociación General en 1893, Elena de White escribió estas conocidas palabras: " “Al recapacitar en nuestra historia pasada, habiendo recorrido cada paso de su progreso hasta nuestra situación actual, puedo decir: ¡Alabemos a Dios! Mientras contemplo lo que Dios ha hecho, me siento llena de asombro y confianza en Cristo como nuestro líder. No tenemos nada que temer por el futuro, excepto que olvidemos la manera en que el Señor nos ha conducido. “Somos ahora un pueblo fuerte, si queremos poner nuestra confianza en el Señor; porque estamos manejando las grandiosas verdades de la Palabra de Dios. Tenemos todas las razones para estar {3MS 183.6} Es muy bueno recordar cómo el Señor nos ha guiado en el pasado y cómo nos ha enseñado Sus poderosas verdades que se encuentran en la Biblia. Por esta razón conmemoramos nuestra herencia adventista y el don del Espíritu Profecía. En Apocalipsis 12:17 leemos: " Entonces el dragón se llenó de ira contra la mujer; y se fue a hacer guerra contra el resto de la descendencia de ella, los que guardan los mandamientos de Dios y tienen el testimonio de Jesucristo. " Pero, ¿qué es el testimonio de Jesús? En Apocalipsis 19:10 se nos dice claramente que "el testimonio de Jesús es el espíritu de la profecía." ¡Qué don tan importante y oportuno! Sin embargo, Elena de White nos advierte que "El último engaño de Satanás consistirá en convertir el testimonio del Espíritu de Dios en algo ineficaz… Satanás trabajará ingeniosamente, con métodos distintos e instrumentos diferentes, para desarraigar la confianza del pueblo remanente de Dios en el testimonio verdadero. Introducirá visiones engañosas para descarriar, mezclará lo falso con lo verdadero, y con esto fastidiará de tal modo a la gente que ésta tildará de fanático todo aquello que tenga que ver con las visiones; pero las almas sinceras, al establecer un contraste entre lo falso y lo verdadero, estarán capacitadas para distinguir entre estos términos. {2MS 89.1}
Sabemos, por supuesto, que el Espíritu de Profecía no es la Biblia, ni es igual a la Biblia. Como indica Elena de White, el Espíritu de Profecía nos guiará a la Biblia y está inspirado por la misma inspiración celestial que la Biblia.
El Primer Tomo de Mensajes Selectos, página 46. Nos dice que "Mediante Su Espíritu Santo, la voz de Dios nos ha venido continuamente en forma de amonestación e instrucción, para confirmar la fe de los creyentes en el espíritu de profecía. El mensaje ha venido repetidas veces: Escribe las cosas que te he dado para confirmar la fe de mi pueblo en la posición que ha tomado. El tiempo y las pruebas no han anulado la instrucción dada, sino que han establecido la verdad del testimonio dado mediante los años de sufrimiento y abnegación. La instrucción que fue dada en los primeros días del mensaje ha de ser retenida como instrucción segura de seguir en estos días finales. {1MS 46.1}."
El testimonio de Jesús es parte del movimiento adventista. Es un regalo de Dios, centrado en Cristo y todo lo que representa: Salvación, gracia y ministerio en el santuario celestial. A medida que nos acercamos al final de los tiempos, debemos permanecer cerca de Dios mediante el estudio de Su Palabra y siguiendo Sus consejos en el Espíritu de Profecía. Este testimonio sirve como la luz menor que conduce a la luz mayor de la Palabra de Dios. Que Dios te bendiga a medida que descubres el maravilloso regalo que te ha dado a través del Espíritu de Profecía. Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNRPKQbeqv4

This coming Sabbath is Spirit of Prophecy/Adventist Heritage Day. It is a special day to commemorate how Adventism began and how God has been leading the church. In The General Conference Bulletin, 1893, p. 24, Ellen White wrote: "In reviewing our past history, having traveled over every step of advance to our present standing, I can say, 'Praise God!' As I see what God has wrought, I am filled with astonishment and with confidence in Christ as Leader. We have nothing to fear for the future, except as we shall forget the way the Lord has led us and His teaching in our past history. We are now a strong people if we will put our trust in the Lord, for we are handling the mighty truths of the word of God. We have everything to be thankful for." Indeed, it is good to remember how God has led us in the past and how He has taught us His mighty truths in the Bible. For this reason, we commemorate the Adventist heritage and value the gift of the Spirit of Prophecy. In Revelation 12:17, we read: "And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." Now, what is the testimony of Jesus? Revelation 19:10 says it is "the spirit of prophecy." What a timely and important gift! Yet, Ellen White warns us in Selected Messages Book 2, p. 78: "The very last deception of Satan will be to make of none effect the testimony of the Spirit of God…Satan will work ingeniously, in different ways and through different agencies, to unsettle the confidence of God's remnant people in the true testimony. He will bring in spurious visions to mislead and will mingle the false with the true, and so disgust people that they will regard everything that bears the name of visions as a species of fanaticism; but honest souls, by contrasting false and true, will be enabled to distinguish between them…" Meanwhile, the Spirit of Prophecy is not the Bible, nor is it equal to it. But, as White says, it leads us to the Bible. And it is inspired by the testimony of Jesus. According to the Selected Messages Book 1, p. 41, "Through His Holy Spirit, the voice of God has come to us continually in warning and instruction, to confirm the faith of the believers in the Spirit of prophecy. Repeatedly the word has come, 'Write the things that I have given you to confirm the faith of My people in the position they have taken.' Time and trial have not made void the instruction given, but through years of suffering and self-sacrifice have established the truth of the testimony given. The instruction that was given in the early days of the message is to be held as safe instruction to follow in these closing days." Now, the testimony of Jesus is part of the Advent movement. It is a gift from God, centered in Christ and all that represents – salvation, grace, and ministry in the heavenly sanctuary. As we near the end of time, we need to stay close to God by studying His Word and following His counsels in the Spirit of Prophecy. This testimony serves as the lesser light that leads to the greater light of God's Word. With this, may God bless you as you discover the wonderful gift He has given you through the Spirit of Prophecy. Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LW2Ng547Vmk