Inside Story for Friday 26th of April 2024

By Andrew McChesney

Mussa’s religion taught that it is wrong to raise pigs for sale. But Mussa worked as a pig farmer.

Nicolonaga’s religion taught that it is wrong to divorce for any reason except sexual immorality. But Nicolonaga married three times and, on top of that, had three common-law wives at different times.

The two men, who were neighbors, lived lives that were far from their professed religious beliefs. But God had a plan for them in Mozambique.

One day, one of Mussa’s pigs entered Nicolonaga’s vegetable garden and caused considerable damage.

Nicolonaga was furious and demanded a fistfight. He won the brawl, and Mussa limped away bloodied and battered. But Mussa did not intend to give up. He vowed revenge through witchcraft. “You have thirty days to prepare for your death,” he told Nicolonaga.

The next day, Nicolonaga woke up seriously ill. He spoke about Mussa’s threat to his friends from the Seventh-day Adventist church, where he had once worshipped.

As Nicolonaga’s condition steadily deteriorated, he grew worried. After 15 days, he asked church members to pray for him, and the pastor organized a prayer team to visit his house.

But Nicolonaga did not get better. Another week passed, and his options seemed few.

With the clock ticking down on Mussa’s 30-day deadline, the pastor called for a night of fasting and prayer for Nicolonaga.

Early the next morning, Mussa knocked on the door of the pastor’s house. He told a fantastic story about how his gods had fought with Nicolonaga’s God, and Nicolonaga’s God had won. He said he could no longer take Nicolonaga’s life. He wanted to become a Christian.

“I want to worship Nicolonaga’s God,” he said.

Nicolonaga recovered from his illness, and both he and Mussa joined an Adventist baptismal class. Both gave their hearts to Jesus in baptism. Today, both are powerful forces for good in their region of Mozambique.

“God is powerful, and He answers the prayers of those who seek Him in faith,” said Nelson A. Quenesse, the pastor.

After all, he said, “without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6, NKJV).

Thank you for your Sabbath School mission offerings that help spread the gospel in Mozambique and around the world.

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/24b-04-inside-story-tale-of-two-neighbors/

Daily Lesson for Friday 26th of April 2024

“God permitted great light to shine upon the minds of these chosen men, revealing to them many of the errors of Rome; but they did not receive all the light that was to be given to the world. Through these, His servants, God was leading the people out of the darkness of Romanism; but there were many and great obstacles for them to meet, and He led them on, step by step, as they could bear it.

Image © Stan Myers from GoodSalt.com

They were not prepared to receive all the light at once. Like the full glory of the noontide sun to those who have long dwelt in darkness, it would, if presented, have caused them to turn away. Therefore, He revealed it to the leaders little by little, as it could be received by the people. From century to century, other faithful workers were to follow, to lead the people on still further in the path of reform.”—Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 103.

“In another letter, to a priest who had become a disciple of the gospel, Huss spoke with deep humility of his own errors, accusing himself ‘of having felt pleasure in wearing rich apparel and of having wasted hours in frivolous occupations.’ He then added these touching admonitions: ‘May the glory of God and the salvation of souls occupy thy mind, and not the possession of benefices and estates. Beware of adorning thy house more than thy soul; and, above all, give thy care to the spiritual edifice. Be pious and humble with the poor, and consume not thy substance in feasting. Shouldst thou not amend thy life and refrain from superfluities, I fear that thou wilt be severely chastened, as I am myself.’ ”—The Great Controversy, pp. 105, 106.

Discussion Questions

1. What is “progressive light”? Why does God reveal truth gradually? How do these principles apply to God’s church today?
2. How do new discoveries of truth relate to previous truths that God’s people have understood? Why must new light never contradict old light?
3. No matter where you live, your culture is going to promote values, ideas, and moral codes that in some way conflict with what the Bible teaches. After identifying these areas of conflict, how do you see yourself and us, as a church, dealing with these challenges? How do we remain good citizens while at the same time not succumbing to whatever warped values our culture proclaims?
4. How does John Huss’s letter impact your thinking today? What impresses you about this letter?

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/24b-04-further-thought-standing-for-the-truth/