“I’d do it all over again” said Pastor Paul Tompkins as he reflected on forty years of dedicated and faithful ministerial service.
On 31 December 2021, Pastor Paul works his last day as a paid minister of the Seventh-day Adventist church, after a life in continuous service from 1981-2021. Of this time, Paul has spent the last five years of his life working in Scotland, where he and Dawn remain and look forward to spending active and fulfilling time in retirement.
Anyone who knows Paul, will…Source: https://adventist.uk/news/article/go/2021-12-30/a-life-in-ministry-remembered/
News Briefs for December 30, 2021
News reports from Australia, Brazil, Romania, Southern Adventist University and the United States. “Controversy” Gets Animated An animated film about “The Great Controversy” has won numerous awards. Attila Peli, director of Hope Media Romania, who also directed and wrote the script for the film, said his main motivation was to make the Great Controversy accessible […] Source: https://atoday.org/news-briefs-for-december-30-2021/
Aunty, how come New Year resolutions don’t work for me?
29 December 2021 | Dear Aunt Sevvy, At the beginning of every new year I hear people talk about making resolutions. I’ve made many, and mostly, it’s been discouraging. I’m still overweight, though I’ve “resolved” many times to work on that. I’m still not on a steady exercise program—another resolution. I’ve also resolved to be […] Source: https://atoday.org/aunty-how-come-new-year-resolutions-dont-work-for-me/
In Estonia, the “Least Religious Country in the World,” Adventist Leader Meets with President
Andres Ploompuu, president of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Estonia, among religious leaders who met with Estonian President Alar Karis. Estonia considered the “least religious country in the world.” Ploompuu said all the heads of the different churches have a good relationship with each other. 29 December 2021 | Andres Ploompuu, president of the Seventh-day […] Source: https://atoday.org/in-estonia-the-least-religious-country-in-the-world-adventist-leader-meets-with-president/
Thursday: These Last Days
Read Hebrews 1:2; Hebrews 9:26-28; Hebrews 10:25, Hebrews 10:36-38; and Hebrews 12:25-28. What point is Paul stressing here, particularly regarding time?
Image © Pacific Press from GoodSalt.com
There is a very important element that the apostle emphasizes that adds urgency to his exhortation: the readers are living in the very “last days” (Hebrews 1:2) and the promises are about to be fulfilled (Hebrews 10:36-38). It is interesting, as we will see, that throughout the document Paul compares his audience with the desert generation that stood right before the border of Canaan, ready to enter into the Promised Land. He reminds them, “For yet a little while, and He who is coming will come and will not tarry” (Hebrews 10:37, NKJV). And then he encourages them: “we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul” (Hebrews 10:39, NKJV). This last exhortation reminded the readers, and us, about the dangers that the people of God have historically experienced right before the fulfillment of the promises of God.
The book of Numbers talks about this very thing. The biblical record says that two times, right before entering the Promised Land, Israel suffered important defeats. The first time, recorded in Numbers 13 and 14, tells us about the doubts that several leaders spread through the congregation and caused the faith of Israel to fail. As a result, the congregation decided to appoint a new leader and return to Egypt, just at the moment when they were about to enter Canaan.
The second time, the Israelites got entangled with sensuality and false worship in Baal Peor (Numbers 24, 25). While Balaam was not able to bring a curse upon the Israelites, Satan used sexual temptations to lead Israel in false worship and sin, and to bring God’s displeasure upon them.
Paul warns the readers of Hebrews against both dangers. First, he exhorts them to hold fast to the confession of their faith and to fix their eyes upon Jesus (Hebrews 4:14, Hebrews 10:23, Hebrews 12:1-4). Second, he exhorts them against immorality and covetousness (Hebrews 13:4-6). Finally, he exhorts them to observe and obey their leaders (Hebrews 13:7, Hebrews 13:17).
| Considering our understanding of the state of the dead — and that as soon as we close our eyes in death, the next thing we know is the Second Coming — why can we say that all people have lived in the “last days”? |
Amen!
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