A Teacher’s Prayer

By Andrew McChesney

A school friend told Selinah that she should worship Jesus. “You need to go to church because Jesus is coming and, when He comes, He will take His own,” she said. The friend also said only two churches exist in the world — the Seventh-day Adventist Church and another church. Selinah, whose parents were not particularly religious, chose the other church because it had the larger building in her village in northern Botswana.

Image © Pacific Press

After some time, a relative, a boy around her age, invited Selinah to the Adventist church. Selinah’s friends at the other church cautioned her against going. “Don’t go to that church,” said one. “You won’t come back to your own church,” said another. “Why would I leave my church?” Selinah said.

On Sabbath morning, Selinah walked with the boy to church. The worship service had begun when they arrived. It was so different to Selinah. The preacher talked to God like he was talking to a friend. The handshakes after the worship service surprised her. It was as if the church members had been expecting her. Learning that the preacher would conduct a series of sermons, she came back for what turned out to be an evangelistic series. She listened with amazement as the preacher used slides to show that the beasts of Daniel chapter 7 represented world kingdoms up through Jesus’ second coming. After the meetings ended, she never returned to her former church. She was baptized and joined the Adventist Church.

Selinah Oreneile Nkwae grew up and became a schoolteacher. More than anything she wanted to teach children about Jesus at an Adventist school. But there was no Adventist school, so she taught at government schools for 34 years. After retiring, she prayed earnestly about how to be a good witness for God, and she led several evangelistic efforts that resulted in a number of baptisms. But she couldn’t forget her desire to teach at an Adventist school.

One day, her husband saw a newspaper advertisement seeking teachers for a new Adventist school in Francistown. Selinah applied and was accepted at Eastern Gate Primary School, which was constructed with a Thirteenth Sabbath Offering in 2015. God had answered her prayers. “The daily prayer of all the teachers is for the kids see God’s character in us,” Selinah said.

This mission story illustrates the following components of the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s “I Will Go” strategic plan: Mission Objective No. 4, “To strengthen Seventh-day Adventist institutions in upholding freedom, wholistic health, and hope through Jesus, and restoring in people the image of God,” and Spiritual Growth Objective No. 6, “To increase accession, retention, reclamation, and participation of children, youth, and young adults.” Read more: IWillGo2020[dot]org.

Produced by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission. Find more mission stories at adventistmission[dot]org

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/inside-story-a-teachers-prayer/

Further Thought:

Read Ellen G. White, “The Law and the Covenants,” Pages 370-373, in Patriarchs and Prophets.

Abraham’s patient and tenacious plea with God on behalf of the people of Sodom (Genesis 18:22-33) should encourage us to pray for the wicked, even though they appear to be in a hopeless condition of sin.

Image © Stan Myers from GoodSalt.com

Furthermore, God’s attentive response to Abraham’s insistence, and His willingness to forgive for the sake of only “ten” righteous men is a “revolutionary” concept, as pointed out by Gerhard Hasel:

“In an extremely revolutionary manner the old collective thinking, which brought the guiltless member of the guilty association under punishment, has been transposed into something new: the presence of a remnant of righteous people could have a preserving function for the whole … For the sake of the righteous remnant Yahweh would in his righteousness [tsedaqah] forgive the wicked city. This notion is widely expanded in the prophetic utterance of the Servant of Yahweh who works salvation ‘for many.’” — Gerhard F. Hasel, The Remnant: The History and Theology of the Remnant Idea From Genesis to Isaiah, 3rd edition (Berrien Springs, MI: Andrews University Press, 1980), Pages 150, 151.

“All around us are souls going down to ruin as hopeless, as terrible, as that which befell Sodom. Every day the probation of some is closing. Every hour some are passing beyond the reach of mercy. And where are the voices of warning and entreaty to bid the sinner flee from this fearful doom? Where are the hands stretched out to draw him back from death? Where are those who with humility and persevering faith are pleading with God for him? The spirit of Abraham was the spirit of Christ. The Son of God is Himself the great Intercessor in the sinner’s behalf. He who has paid the price for its redemption knows the worth of the human soul.” — Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 140.

Discussion Questions:

<–Thursday

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/friday-further-thought-covenant-with-abraham/

The book of Genesis offers us so many and vast topics from which to choose a theme hymn. As we are starting at the very beginning, I would like to give praise to our Creator of heaven and earth in singing Hymn 320 – Lord of Creation and Hymn 2 – All Creatures of Our God and King. The stories that follow creation will lean back towards our amazing God and what He has done for each of us in creation .

Just as Abraham had a covenant made to him by God, we also have a covenant with God: Hymn 522 – My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less (verse 3) and Hymn 347 – Built On the Rock (verse 4). We can then say in song The God of Abraham Praise – Hymn 11.

Just as Abraham had a wondrous faith, so too may we:
Hymn 304 – Faith of Our Fathers,
Hymn 523 – My Faith Has Found a Resting Place,
Hymn 517 – My Faith Looks Up to Thee, and
Hymn 608 – Faith Is the Victory.

God took Abram outside in Genesis 15:5 and asked if the stars could be counted, so we may also do this in Hymn 98 – Can You Count the Stars? 
Sunday’s study continues with Abram “reassured and ‘believed in the Lord’ (Genesis 15:6)” Hymn 511 – I Know Whom I Have Believed, and that “Humans are saved by grace”: Hymn 108 – Amazing Grace and Hymn 109 – Marvelous Grace.

In many ways today, we have the Lord speak to us just as He spoke to Abram (Monday and Tuesday) Hymn 541 – Lord, Speak to Me. Tuesday closes with the thought that “Abraham still struggled with living it out in faith and trust”. Having learned from Abraham’s life, are we able to sing with wholeheartedness I Am Trusting Thee, Lord Jesus – Hymn 535?

Ellen G White in Patriarchs and Prophets page 140 asks if we are pleading with God in prayer for the souls around us as the world falls to pieces as in the days of Sodom: Hymn 284 – For You I Am Praying.

God’s abundant blessings this quarter as we study through the first book of the Bible which our gracious God has given. May we be faithful and all say “Come, Lord Jesus, come – very soon” so we are able to go to our new home in Heaven, as We Have This Hope – Hymn 214.

To learn unknown hymns, you will find the accompaniment music for each one at: https://sdahymnals.com/Hymnal/

Another great resource is for when there is a hymn you wish to sing, but can’t find it in your hymnal. Go to https://www.sdahymnal.org and in the search bar type a special word in that is in the hymn. I am sure you will be amazed at the help you will be given.

2 Timothy 2:15 KJV – “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/7-the-covenant-with-abraham-singing-with-inspiration/