Closer To Heaven
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par Reinder Bruinsma | 14 mai 2026 | C’était vers 1200 avant J.-C., l’époque des juges. Israël n’avait pas encore de roi; ainsi, lorsque le peuple était en proie à des troubles causés par ses voisins, on faisait appel à un dirigeant temporaire pour rétablir l’ordre et la paix. Pour qu’il s’occupe des problèmes causés […] Source: https://atoday.org/plus-est-ce-toujours-mieux/
by Matthew Quartey | 14 May 2026 | A few weeks ago, Adventist Today published a piece by Admiral Ncube entitled, Africa Must Think. Shortly after, I received several calls from Adventist academics, including four highly placed officials from two of the three Adventist divisions in Africa. All were critical of the essay. The offended […] Source: https://atoday.org/if-africa-doesnt-think-heres-why/
Inside Story for Friday 15th of May 2026
Part of this quarter’s Thirteenth Sabbath Offering, also known as the Quarterly Mission Project Offering, will support projects in Kenya and elsewhere in the East-Central Africa Division. Watch a YouTube video of Rompas at bit.ly/Rompas-IS.
Rompas, a 16-year-old Maasai boy in Kenya, decided to go to school after being baptized. More than anything, he wanted to read the Bible for himself.
Image © Pacific Press
He faced opposition from his father and many of his 82 siblings, who didn’t see any need for a Maasai boy to obtain an education. But Rompas became the first person in his family to complete grade school and then high school. After that, he decided to study theology at Bugema University, a Seventh-day Adventist university in Uganda. But he needed money.
One evening, he summoned his brothers and sisters who, like him, kept the Sabbath, and he asked them to pray for him to receive 7,000 Kenyan shillings to be able to travel to Uganda and apply for admission at Bugema University. The siblings prayed as Rompas knelt on the floor. After the last “amen,” a knock sounded on the door. It was a politician named Alex who had come to see Rompas’s father. Politicians liked to visit because Rompas’s large family represented many votes at election time. This politician was not an Adventist, and he asked an unusual question: “Does this big family have a pastor?”
Rompas was introduced to Alex as the boy nicknamed “Pastor” as a child.
“What’s your biggest need?” Alex asked.
“I need to earn a university degree at Bugema University in Uganda.”
Alex pulled out 15,000 Kenyan shillings from his pocket and gave it to Rompas. It was more than double the amount that Rompas had sought in prayer.
Rompas traveled to Uganda and was accepted into the theology program. Then he returned home to wait for the start of classes. On the same day that he arrived home, Alex came for another visit. Hearing that Rompas had been admitted, he handed over a wad of US dollars. Rompas had never held US dollars before. It was enough to pay for three years at the university.
Today, Rompas Josphat Lekishon is an Adventist pastor with a heart for mission. Through his efforts, six churches have become Seventh-day Adventist. He has also opened a church on a plot of his father’s land that he donated to the Adventist Church. Thirty-three family members worship there every Sabbath. He especially likes sharing the good news of Jesus’ coming with the Maasai people. He has distributed more than 500 Bibles in the Maasai language.
“The thing I love the most is giving the Bible to the Maasai people,” he said. “It is giving hope to the hopeless.”
Daily Lesson for Friday 15th of May 2026
Further Thought:
“If we thought and talked more of Jesus, and less of self, we should have far more of His presence.”—Ellen White, Steps to Christ, p. 102
Image © Stan Myers from GoodSalt.com
“If we take counsel with our doubts and fears, or try to solve everything that we cannot see clearly, before we have faith, perplexities will only increase and deepen. 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, who sees everything in creation, and who governs everything by His will and word, He can and will attend to our cry, and will let light shine into our hearts.”—Steps to Christ, Pages 96, 97.
“The soul may ascend nearer heaven on the wings of praise. God is worshiped with song and music in the courts above, and as we express our gratitude we are approximating to the worship of the heavenly hosts. . . . Let us with reverent joy come before our Creator, with ‘thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.’ Isaiah 51:3.”—Steps to Christ. p. 104.
Discussion Questions
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Summary: The Bible shares accounts of individuals who had vibrant, abiding prayer lives and others who didn’t. As we search its pages, we’ll always find someone we can relate to, regardless of the state of our relationship with God. We’ll also find many, many promises that will encourage and guide us in our devotional lives. Spiritual growth should be our goal—our eyes fixed on Jesus, the ultimate Example in all things and the Author and Finisher of our faith.
When Laotaro experienced Christ’s love, his life took a new direction. His joy and love for others became clear, and in time, his changed life began to influence his family as well. Are you interested in sharing the gospel with others? See what you can do to share the gospel at awr.org/give. Watch Laotaro’s full story here: tinyurl.com/awr360-laotaro-story. #AWR360 #BroadcastToBaptism #Shorts Source: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/1gguBOI_Bnk
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