News reports from Canada, Colombia, Guyana, Jamaica, Nigeria, United States. Flagged The presence of the Vatican flag at the 61st General Conference (GC) Session in St Louis, Missouri, U.S. on June 11, 2022 generated heated debate on social media platforms, even drawing the attention of Jamaican newspaper, the Gleaner. While some defended the display of […] Source: https://atoday.org/news-briefs-for-july-7-2022/
How Adventists Can Celebrate Easter
by Robert M. Johnston | 7 July 2022 I realize that Easter 2022 isn’t far in our past, and it won’t occur again for another three-quarters of a year. But Reinder Bruinsma’s article, “Should Adventists Celebrate Easter Sunday?” raised a question for me that goes to the heart of how Adventism relates to the rest […] Source: https://atoday.org/how-adventists-can-celebrate-easter/
Inside Story: South American Division ~ Part 2 – Bullied at School
Part 2: Bullied at School
By Andrew McChesney
Mother was worried about Junior. The usually cheerful 15-year-old boy had become uptight and hostile in their home in Manaus, Brazil. Against her wishes, he had signed up to learn Capoeira, an African-Brazilian martial art.
“Eduardo, I don’t like Junior learning martial arts,” she told her husband.
“It’s no problem for me to take him,” he replied. “The classes are just up the street from the Candomblé temple where I work.”
“That also bothers me,” Mother said. “I didn’t know whether Capoeira and Candomblé are somehow related, but I didn’t want my son doing either.”
Father scowled. “Junior told me that some boys are bullying him at school,” he said. “That’s why he decided to take martial arts.”
The next day, as Mother waited at school to take Junior home, she poured out her heart to Dilma Araujos dos Santos, the mother of one of Junior’s classmates, Clifferson. “My son doesn’t have any good friends,” she said.
A few days later, Clifferson invited Junior to a video gamers club at his house. Mother, pleased that Junior had found a friend, allowed him to go.
At Clifferson’s house, Junior found several boys playing a sports video game. After a few minutes, Clifferson turned off the game and invited the boys to sing about Jesus. Then the boys opened Bibles and talked about what Jesus meant to them. “Are you Christians?” Junior asked. “Yes,” Clifferson said. “At our club, we play sports games and talk about Jesus.”
Junior liked his new friends, he didn’t miss any meetings after that.
One day, Clifferson’s mother invited Junior to go to church with the family. Junior was happy to spend more time with Clifferson, and he stopped going to martial arts classes. He didn’t tell Mother that he was visiting Alpha Seventh-day Adventist Community Church. He only said he was going out.
Mother soon noticed that Junior was eager to leave the house on Saturday, and she asked what he was doing. Junior showed her the YouTube channel where the church live-streamed its Sabbath services. Mother began to watch.
One Sabbath, Junior told Mother that a man had given his heart to Jesus and been baptized at the church. “I want to be baptized,” he said.
A few Sabbaths later, Mother accompanied Junior to church. She listened as the Sabbath School teacher spoke from the Adult Bible Study Guide. Someone gave her a Bible, and she looked up the verses that the teacher was reading from Revelation. A chill ran down her spine when she read, “But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death” (Revelation 21:8; NKJV).
“That’s the destiny of my husband,” Mother thought. “He will perish in the lake of fire.” From that day, she began praying for Father.
Your Thirteenth Sabbath Offering will help open eight churches in the South American Division, including four in Brazil, where Father (Eduardo Ferreira dos Santos) and his family live.
Produced by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission. Find more mission stories at adventistmission[dot]org
Amen!
(0)
(0)The post Inside Story: South American Division ~ Part 2 – Bullied at School appeared first on Sabbath School Net.
Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/inside-story-south-american-division-part-2-bullied-at-school/
Friday: Further Thought ~ The Crucibles That Come
Further Thought:
Read Ellen G. White, “Effectual Prayer,” in Signs of the Times, Nov. 18, 1903; Ellen G. White Comments, p. 1182, in The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 4 “God Permits Trial and Affliction to Purify Me,” p. 92, in My Life Today.
Image © Stan Myers from GoodSalt.com
“He who reads the hearts of men knows their characters better than they themselves know them. He sees that some have powers and susceptibilities which, rightly directed, might be used in the advancement of His work. In His providence He brings these persons into different positions and varied circumstances that they may discover in their character the defects which have been concealed from their own knowledge. He gives them opportunity to correct these defects, and to fit themselves for His service. Often He permits the fires of affliction to assail them that they may be purified.” — Ellen G. White, The Ministry of Healing, p. 471.
Discussion Questions:
|
Amen!(0)
(0)The post Friday: Further Thought ~ The Crucibles That Come appeared first on Sabbath School Net.
Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/friday-further-thought-crucibles-that-come/
The Gift of Speech
Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 2 Timothy 4:2.
The power of speech is a talent that should be diligently cultivated. Of all the gifts we have received from God, none is capable of being a greater blessing than this. With the voice we convince and persuade; with it we offer praise and prayer to God; and with it we tell others of the Redeemer’s love. Not one word is to be spoken unadvisedly. No evil speaking, no frivolous talk, no fretful repining or impure suggestions, will escape the lips of him who is following Christ.
The apostle Paul, writing by the Holy Spirit, says, “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth” (Ephesians 4:29). A corrupt communication does not mean only words that are vile. It means any expression contrary to holy principles and pure and undefiled religion. It includes impure hints and covert suggestions of evil. Unless instantly resisted, these lead to great sin.
Upon every family, upon every individual Christian, is laid the duty of barring the way against corrupt speech. When [we are] in the company of those who indulge in foolish talk, it is our duty to change the subject of conversation if possible. By the help of the grace of God, we should try to drop words or introduce a subject that will turn the conversation into a profitable channel.
Our words should be words of praise and thanksgiving. If the mind and heart are full of the love of God, this will be revealed in the conversation. It will not be a difficult matter to impart that which enters into our spiritual life. Great thoughts, noble aspirations, clear perceptions of truth, unselfish purposes, yearnings for piety and holiness, will bear fruit in words that reveal the character of the heart treasure. When Christ is thus revealed in our speech, it will have a power in winning souls to Him.
We should speak of Christ to those who know Him not. We should do as Christ did. Wherever He was, in the synagogue, by the wayside, in the boat thrust out a little from the land, at the Pharisee’s feast or the table of the publican, He spoke to men of the things pertaining to the higher life.—The Signs of the Times, July 2, 1902.
Ye Shall Receive Power p. 197
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Prayer Requests
—-Please pray for me as I have a job interview this afternoon. Pray that I get the job if it is God’s will. RJ
—-Please be in prayer for my family. We are in a situation and I am very stressed about it. We need some door opened or some grace and favor. Jennifer
—-July 5th update on Baby Wyatt: The past few days have been on the rough side. We are trying to figure out Wyatt’s gut and why he can’t tolerate formula. We are also trying to figure out the source of his bleeding. We will also have to get an ultrasound done today to check on the fluid inside his liver. We did manage to get a few hours off of dialysis Friday, so we went for a wagon ride. As far as Wyatt’s kidney transplant evaluation, we are still waiting for them to have their big meeting of the 15th. Mary
—-Please continue to pray for E and her children. R
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Friends,
As we read the news, it seems that there is a steep increase in violent crime of all kinds. There is no safety anywhere anymore. We wonder how someone can get to the point where they can attack or kill another person. As we read of details of many of the crimes, I say as did my mother as she got older, “It’s a scary old world now-a-days.”
We shake our heads in disbelief at all of the happenings. Yet how often do we are guilty of killing our fellow Christians with venomous words. How many times we wound someone by spreading rumors about them. Paul warns, “if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.” Gal 5:15
The wise man observes, “The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.” He admonishes us, “Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.” “Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things. For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips. All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them. They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge. Prov 18:8; 31:9; 8:6-9
May we put in practice the admonition of Jesus, “as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.” Luke 6:31 May we ask our Loving Saviour to speak through us to those around us. May we pray as did David, “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.” Ps 19:14
Rose
