I am sure that you have friends that no matter how long you are apart from them, once you get together, your friendship resumes right where it left off, as though you had never been apart. This may sound weird, but maybe in one dimension you never were apart! We have physical dimensions such as time and space, but have you ever thought that there is another dimension we can be in that is not bound by time or space? To me, that dimension is the spiritual dimension.

I believe the reason many of our Christian friendships take up right where they left off, even after long periods of no physical contact, is that we have actually been together the whole time “in the Spirit!” Why do those friendships take up right where they left off as though no time has passed by? Because we are in communion with the great “ I AM”. With God there is no time. He is in one eternal Now. He is not the “I was” or “ I will be”, He is the I AM. Same with space, The Holy Spirit is everywhere. The Holy Spirit is with our Christian friends, so if we are in the Spirit and our friends are in the Spirit ,then we are together.

1 John 4:8 tells us God is love. Romans 5:5 tells us God’s love is shed abroad in our hearts, by the Holy Ghost. God is not just the source of genuine love, He is genuine love. Therefore, all the love we receive from our friends actually comes from the Holy Spirit. Therefore, when I left my friends in Texas and went to Florida and made new friends there, I still received the exact same love I had in Texas, because all love originates from God.

Love does not come form human beings. We can not generate love; all we can do is let the Holy Spirit’s love flow through us. Therefore, the love I receive from people half-way across the world is the same exact love I receive from the people I live with right here. It all comes from God. As long as we have God’s love, we can’t miss a friend’s love, because the only love they gave us came from God and He is still with us!

I am so thankful for all my friends with whom I can share God’s love! Thank you all, who are my friends on Sabbath School Net, as well as my offline friends, for being a part of my life. I hope God has been able to love you through me as we worship Him in Spirit.

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/one-in-the-spirit/

Daily Lesson for Thursday 31st of October 2024

Jesus’ discussion with the woman was interrupted by the arrival of the disciples. Though surprised that He was speaking with a woman, they did not question Him. Instead, they urged Him to eat.

The woman, meanwhile, left her water pot and rushed into the city to share with others what she had just experienced with Jesus.

Image © Lifeway Collection at Goodsalt.com

It seems strange that Jesus’ narrative about a harvest would interrupt the story of the conversion of many in the city. But John wants us to see how Jesus understood what was happening. Sharing the plan of salvation with a Samaritan woman was far more important to Him than eating. To lead souls to salvation was His purpose, and He used this occasion to teach His disciples the urgency of sharing the gospel with all people, even with those not like them.

There are many high points in the Gospel of John. Surely John 4:39-42 is among them. Many of the Samaritans believed because of the woman’s testimony: “ ‘He told me all that I ever did’ ” (John 4:39, NKJV).

The Samaritans asked Jesus to stay with them. The result was that many more believed because of the Word of Jesus. “Then they said to the woman, ‘Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world’ ” (John 4:42, NKJV).

<–Wednesday Friday–>

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/24d-05-the-testimony-of-the-samaritans-2/

Daily Lesson for Wednesday 30th of October 2024

The light was too blinding to look at directly. While recognizing Jesus as a prophet, the woman practices avoidance again. She asks Jesus a question of religious controversy between Jews and Samaritans—the proper place to worship.

In response, Jesus pointed out that the Samaritans did not know what they worshiped. Their worship was a synthesis of Judaism and paganism. The Jews worshiped the God who reveals Himself—another important admission for a Samaritan.

Image © Phil McKay at Goodsalt.com

Worship of the true God is not tied to a place. The discussion, therefore, about a place of worship was irrelevant to the conversation. For God is spirit, and those who worship Him must do so in spirit and in truth. The woman accepted the plain truth conveyed by Jesus and was ready for more.

In all four Gospels, this is the only passage before His trial in which Jesus plainly stated to someone that He was the Messiah. And He did it not to some large crowd or important personage but to an unnamed Samaritan woman, alone, at Jacob’s well. He is interested in any lonely soul who feels separated.

And so to this woman, who not only was from a foreign culture but also was not of the highest moral character, Jesus openly reveals who He is. And, having revealed to her His knowledge of her darkest secrets, He also gave this woman a great reason to believe in Him, as well.

<–Tuesday Thursday–>

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/24d-05-the-revelation-of-jesus/

Join It Is Written Sabbath School host Eric Flickinger and one of this quarter’s authors, Dr. Thomas R. Shepherd, as they provide additional insights into this week’s Sabbath School lesson, “The Beginning of the Gospel.”

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/5-the-testimony-of-the-samaritans-it-is-written-discussions-with-the-author/

View an in-depth discussion of The Testimony of the Samaritans in the Hope Sabbath School class led by Pastor Derek Morris.
Click on the image below to view the video:

With thanks to Hope Channel – Television that will change your life.

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/5-the-testimony-of-the-samaritans-hope-sabbath-school-video-discussion/