Recent headlines and television news commentary have focused on a new study which reported that eating red meat may not be the cause of health problems. Because of their historic support of a vegetarian diet and considerable scientific and educational effort against eating red meat, this has raised questions among Adventists. Dr. Gary Fraser, a […] Source: https://atoday.org/is-red-meat-no-longer-a-dietary-problem/
Inside Story ~ Portugal
Gift of 4,000 Euros
By Viriato Ferreira
A serious dilemma unexpectedly emerged on a Friday morning.
Image © Pacific Press
The architect of our VitaSalus Wellness Center announced that we urgently needed to put up railings around several buildings.
“If someone falls, you’ll be in trouble”, he warned.
We knew that he was right. VitaSalus – an Ellen White-inspired “center of influence” that works in harmony with the ethical, professional and spiritual values upheld by the Seventh-day Adventist Church – is located atop a mountain near the town of Penela, about 115 miles (185 kilometers) north of Portugal’s capital, Lisbon.
The architect put the cost of the railings at 4,000 euroes (U.S.$4,900).
I turned to our chief financial officer.
“Do we have the money?” I asked.
“Absolutely not”, he said. “There is no money”.
Worried thoughts filled my mind. Suddenly, a conviction struck me.
“Whose project is this?” I thought. “It’s not mine. It’s God’s project!”
I shared this conviction with chief financial officer and other people present at the meeting.
“God will supply the means for these railings”, I said. “Are you comfortable in going ahead and ordering the railings?”
They nodded their heads in agreement, and I prayed, “Lord, we are going to order these railings because they are really needed”.
We ordered the railings.
Five days later, on a Wednesday, I received an e-mail from someone whom I had never met.
“Doctor”, he wrote. “I just want to tell you that I have deposited 4,000 euros into the VitaSalus bank account”.
“Praise the Lord!” I exclaimed out loud.
I wrote him an e-mail describing the events of the previous Friday morning.
He replied immediately.
“Doctor, this confirms that the money is for this project”, he wrote.
“On Friday morning, I woke up with a desire to help VitaSalus. I have never been there, but I just had that feeling. Still, I wasn’t sure whether my wife would agree with me, so I prayed a short prayer, ‘Lord, if this is Your will, put the same desire in my wife’s heart’”.
“As soon as I finished praying, my wife came into my office and said, ‘Honey, you know that project in Penela? I think we should help them’”.
“I couldn’t believe my ears, and I asked her, ‘How much do you think we should give?’”
“’I think 4,000 euros would be good’, she said”.
What a lesson for me! Had we stopped our work at VitaSalus because we lacked the funds, we would have lost out on a big blessing brought about by trusting in God. It was not about the railings. It was about God showing us how His work can be fulfilled when we trust in Him.
Produced by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission. Find more mission stories at adventistmission[dot]org
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Friday: Further Thought ~ Nehemiah
Further Thought: Contemplate “A Man of Opportunity”, pages 628–634, in Prophets and Kings.
Nehemiah was a man of prayer: “Nehemiah had often poured out his soul in behalf of his people. But now as he prayed a holy purpose formed in his mind. He resolved that if he could obtain the consent of the king, and the necessary aid in procuring implements and material, he would himself undertake the task of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem and restoring Israel’s national strength.
Image © Stan Myers from GoodSalt.com
And he asked the Lord to grant him favor in the sight of the king, that this plan might be carried out. ‘Prosper, I pray Thee, Thy servant this day’, he entreated, ‘and grant him mercy in the sight of this man’. Four months Nehemiah waited for a favorable opportunity to present his request to the king” – Ellen G. White, Prophets and Kings, pages 629, 630.
Discussion Questions:
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The Irish Mission – Growing Stronger
Mission President, Pastor Dan Serb, is clear about the church he serves. His report to the Session describes a church that is “colourful, dynamic, and ever active,” listing choirs, Pathfinders, Bible study groups, youth projects, family camps, fundraising events, and outreachSource: https://adventist.uk/news/article/go/2019-10-10/the-irish-mission-growing-stronger/
Angel Companions
Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation? Hebrews 1:14.
The angels who do always behold the face of the Father in heaven would prefer to remain close by the side of God. But the Lord gives to every angel his work for this fallen world. Divine help is provided for men. They have the opportunity of cooperating with heavenly intelligences, of being laborers together with God. The possibilities of gaining a fitness for the presence of God, of being enabled to see His face, are placed before them. Heavenly angels are working to bring the human family into a close brotherhood, a oneness described by Christ as like to that existing between the Father and the Son. How can men so highly honored by God fail to appreciate their opportunities and privileges? How can they refuse to accept the divine help proffered? How much it is possible for human beings to gain if they will keep eternity in view.
Satanic agencies are ever warring for the mastery over human minds. But the angels of God are constantly at work, strengthening the weak hands and confirming the feeble knees of all who call upon God for help. The promise to every child of God is, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you” (Matthew 7:7). The Lord is more willing to give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him than parents are to give good gifts to their children. Then ask; believe what God has said. He will surely fulfill His word. Say from the heart, “My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever” (Psalm 73:26). The victory must be gained day by day. As followers of Christ we are to stand on vantage ground before the world as Christ’s representatives. Let us then engage in this part of the Christian warfare, determinedly overcoming every weakness of character….
The Lord has had truehearted men and women, those who have made a covenant with God by sacrifice. They have not swerved from their integrity; they have kept themselves unspotted from the world. These have been led by the Light of life to defeat the purposes of the wily foe. Will human beings now act their part in resisting the devil? If they will do this, he will surely flee from them. Angels will do for you the things you cannot do for yourselves. They are waiting for your cooperation….
While you have one desire to resist the devil, and sincerely pray, “Deliver me from temptation,” you will have strength for your day. It is the work of the heavenly angels to come close to the tried, the suffering, the tempted ones.—Manuscript 14, February 23, 1899, “To Every Man His Work.”
The Upward Look p. 68
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Prayer Requests
—-I have an unspoken request. Rose
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Dear Friends,
About a month after her seventh birthday, Eileen and I were driving to Ron’s job site to do an errand for him. I was under a lot of stress at the time for various reasons. I was so preoccupied with my problems that I didn’t realize where I was. I thought that I was a block farther down the road where there was a turning light. The last thing I remember was being stopped at a red light, getting ready to make a left turn as soon as it turned green. It turned green and in my upset condition, I thought it was a green arrow. It wasn’t.
When I woke up in the hospital a few hours later, I was told that I had pulled out in front of a UPS truck. Eventually, Eileen and I got completely over the accident. The only reminder she has are a few scars on her forehead that really don’t show unless one looks carefully for them, and I still have a small area about the size of a nickel on my knee where there is no feeling. I can poke it with my finger or with a pin and the result is the same: I cannot feel a thing. A nerve must have been severed and was unable to regenerate completely like the rest of the nerves to my knee had.
Just as the sensory nerves are important for us to have feeling, so our conscience must be alive to the workings of the Holy Spirit. Just as I have no feeling in that small area on my left knee, so we can become numb to the Spirit’s voice if we continue to turn away from His pleadings. Jesus warns, “I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.” Matt 12:31,32
It is through the Holy Spirit that we are convicted of sin. It is through His working upon our heart, that we feel our need of our Dear Saviour. Jesus explains, “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me; Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.” “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” John 16:7-14;14:26
David prayed, “Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.” Ps 19:13 How earnest we should be in our religious life. How careful we should be not to spurn His great mercy and love. Paul asks, “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?” Heb 2:3,4
If we continue to refuse to listen to the Spirit’s voice, we eventually no longer hear that still, small voice speaking to us. Eventually, we no longer care for the things of God. Paul admonishes us, “grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.” Eph 4:30 He further explains, “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings that cannot be uttered.” Rom 8:26
May we be responsive to the Holy Spirit’s voice as He speaks to our heart. May we be obedient to His will. May our ears be attune to His pleading voice allow Him complete control of every part of our being is my prayer.
Rose
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