Closer To Heaven
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I talked recently to a woman who’d been a teacher at a nice-sized suburban church school for 25 years. About the time Covid hit she retired, and wasn’t going to church. A year turned into two, and for whatever reason (probably just plain old-fashioned burnout) she just didn’t go back. “Just out of curiosity,” I […] Source: https://atoday.org/editorial-out-of-sight-out-of-mind/
Daily Lesson for Sabbath 25th of July 2026
Image © Pacific Press
1 Corinthians 8:1-13; Acts 15:20; 1 Corinthians 9:1-6; 1 Corinthians 10:5-22; Deuteronomy 6:4-5; Mark 12:28-31.
Memory Text:
“Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31, NKJV).
1 Corinthians 8:1-13; 1 Corinthians 9:1-27; 1 Corinthians 10:1-33 brings the discussion on sexuality (in chapters 5–6) to a conclusion at the same time that it introduces Paul’s answers to specific questions asked through a letter (1 Corinthians 7:1) from the Corinthians. These answers will dominate the remainder of 1 Corinthians.
The transitional nature of 1 Corinthians 7:1-40 indicates that sexual immorality (chapters 5–7) and idolatry (chapters 8–10) are related topics. Indeed, they are often mentioned together in the New Testament (see Acts 15:20,29; Acts 21:25; 1 Corinthians 6:9; Ephesians 5:5; Colossians 3:5; Revelation 21:8; Revelation 22:15).
In general, while in 1 Corinthians 5:1-13; 1 Corinthians 6:1-20; 1 Corinthians 7:1-40 Paul deals with the problem of sexual immorality, in 1 Corinthians 8:1-13; 1 Corinthians 9:1-27; 1 Corinthians 10:1-33 his main concern is the issue of idolatry. He states that Christians must flee from both (1 Corinthians 6:18, 1 Corinthians 10:14).
Last week, we saw that by being a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20), one can flee from sexual immorality. This week, we will see that one can flee from idolatry by doing “all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31, NKJV).
If you follow AWR’s stories, you may already know about the Samburu, Turkana and Pokot warriors of Kenya, whose lives are being transformed through AWR Godpods. Many of these men cannot read or write, but the solar-powered audio players have placed the Word of God directly into their hands—in their own language. The results have been remarkable. For generations, these tribes have been caught in a cycle of theft, violence and revenge, often warring against one another. Then Mara Vision, one of our sister ministries, established a school for the warriors and asked AWR to provide Godpods. Thanks to your generous support, so far we’ve supplied 4,600 Godpods in Swahili, and they have revolutionized the lives of these men. Their transformation has been nothing short of miraculous, reminding us once again of the power of God’s Word. For the first time, I’m sharing an interview I recorded with four of these warriors when they traveled to our recent AWR convocation in Uganda. Watch the video below and hear their deeply personal testimonies. Meeting these men and witnessing firsthand what God has done in their lives was an incredible blessing. I love seeing lives changed for God’s kingdom—and I especially love when He uses Adventist World Radio to make it happen! Yours in the Blessed Hope, Jim Howard
President MB01OPEBPRON5O8 Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKHJhQeNl0E
ACCRA, GHANA ADRA Ghana is urging a shift from emergency relief to long-term recovery as nearly 90,000 households affected by the June 29 floods begin rebuilding their homes and livelihoods. Read the full story here. SILVER SPRING, MARYLAND, USA At the General Conference Creator Summit, Adventist leaders challenged digital creators to see online spaces […] Source: https://atoday.org/adventist-news-from-around-the-world-24-july-2026/
ELMHURST, IL – Authorities and family members are asking the public to help locate 28-year-old Gabriel De Sagun, who has been missing since the afternoon of July 20, 2026, and has been reported endangered. The Hinsdale Seventh-day Adventist Church, in a Facebook post, asked its members and the wider community to pray for his safe […] Source: https://atoday.org/gabriel-de-sagun-remains-missing-as-authorities-appeal-for-publics-help/
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