Inside Story for Friday 2nd of August 2024

By Andrew McChesney

As a university student, Anush heard many times, “When you graduate, we will give you a job.” But when she graduated, no one offered her a job.

Father was deeply worried. In Armenia, fathers often help their children get jobs. Some fathers even bribe companies to hire their children. But Father didn’t give a bribe, and Anush was jobless in her town in Armenia.

Then she learned about an interdenominational missionary organization from the United States that was looking for an Armenian translator. The job came with a small salary and required her to relocate temporarily to a nearby city, Vanadzor. She asked Father for permission to work as a translator. Armenia is a largely patriarchal society where fathers are consulted on many decisions. Father thought that working with Americans would be a good opportunity for Anush. “Yes, you can go,” he said.

Anush got the job. She was happy. Four years earlier, Father had forbidden her from going to church and getting baptized. Now she was reading the Bible, sharing Jesus with others—and getting paid for it! As she worked, a desire grew in her heart to become a missionary. When the job ended, she returned home, wondering how she could fulfill her dream. After praying and fasting for three days, she read in Exodus that God told Moses at the burning bush to ask Pharoah to let His people go to serve Him. She felt as though God was saying to her, “Go ask Father to let you serve Me.” She went to Father. “Would you allow me to study to become a missionary in another country?” she asked.

“No,” he said.

The next morning, Anush read in Exodus that Pharaoh rejected Moses’ request, but God sent Moses back, saying, “Go, talk to Pharoah.”

She went to Father. “Would you allow me to study in a missionary program to serve God?” she asked.

“No,” he said.

She continued reading Exodus. Again and again, God sent Moses to talk to Pharoah. Every time Moses talked to Pharoah, Anush spoke to Father. Father became upset. One day, he exploded. “Can you just go to the local church and get baptized and forget about becoming a missionary in another country?” he exclaimed.

Anush was confused. She hadn’t anticipated such a response. She decided to go to church. She went to a nearby city where an Adventist church was holding evangelistic meetings. When the preacher asked who wanted to be baptized, she stood up. “Are you sure?” the preacher asked. “What about your father?”

Everyone knew her story. “Father is fine with my decision,” Anush said.Father didn’t stop the baptism. With joy, Anush plunged under the water.

Part of last quarter’s Thirteenth Sabbath Offering went to open a center of influence for families like Anush’s in Yerevan, Armenia. Thank you for helping spread the gospel with your offerings. Next week: Anush sets her heart on praying Father into church.

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/24c-05-inside-story-unexpected-change-of-heart/

Daily Lesson for Friday 2nd of August 2024

Read Ellen G. White, “Peace, Be Still,” Pages 333–341; “The Touch of Faith,” Pages 342–348, in The Desire of Ages.

Image © Stan Myers from GoodSalt.com

“In all who are under the training of God is to be revealed a life that is not in harmony with the world, its customs, or its practices; and everyone needs to have a personal experience in obtaining a knowledge of the will of God. We must individually hear Him speaking to the heart. When every other voice is hushed, and in quietness we wait before Him, the silence of the soul makes more distinct the voice of God. He bids us, ‘Be still, and know that I am God.’ Psalms 46:10. Here alone can true rest be found. And this is the effectual preparation for all who labor for God. Amid the hurrying throng, and the strain of life’s intense activities, the soul that is thus refreshed will be surrounded with an atmosphere of light and peace. The life will breathe out fragrance, and will reveal a divine power that will reach men’s hearts.”—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 363.

“Their dissatisfied hearts queried why, if Jesus could perform so many wondrous works as they had witnessed, could He not give health, strength, and riches to all His people, free them from their oppressors, and exalt them to power and honor? The fact that He claimed to be the Sent of God, and yet refused to be Israel’s king, was a mystery which they could not fathom. His refusal was misinterpreted. Many concluded that He dared not assert His claims because He Himself doubted as to the divine character of His mission. Thus they opened their hearts to unbelief, and the seed which Satan had sown bore fruit of its kind, in misunderstanding and defection.”—The Desire of Ages, p. 385.

Discussion Questions

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/24c-05-further-thought-miracles-around-the-lake/

Daily Lesson for Thursday 1st of August 2024

After the disciples return from their mission, they go with Jesus to a remote area on the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee to rest. But a large crowd of 5,000 people arrives at the location before them. Jesus sees that they are like sheep without a shepherd. He teaches them the entire day.

Image © Review & Herald Publishing at Goodsalt.com

In the evening the disciples recommend sending the crowd away to find food, but Jesus tells them to feed the crowd. The ensuing dialogue (Mark 6:35-38) illustrates that the disciples are thinking in human terms about how to solve the problem. However, Jesus resolves the problem by miraculously feeding the large crowd with just five loaves and two fish.

Characteristics of this story play into the popular concept of Messiah in Jesus’ day. The expectation was that the Messiah would liberate Israel from her enemies and would bring in righteousness and peace. A large number of men in a desert setting would carry with it military overtones of revolt (compare with John 6:14-15; Acts 21:38).

This notion is strengthened by the reference to Jesus’ seeing the people like “sheep without a shepherd,” a partial quotation from Numbers 27:17, where Moses asks God to appoint a leader for Israel after him. This phraseology about a shepherd for God’s people appears elsewhere in the Old Testament, typically with reference to Israel’s lack of a leader or king (compare with 1 Kings 22:17; 2 Chronicles 18:16; Ezekiel 34:5-6).

Yet, Jesus does not meet their false expectations. Instead, He sends His disciples away and dismisses the crowd. And, rather than lead a rebellion against Rome, what does He do? He retreats to a mountain to pray—not what the people were expecting.

In place of the popular view of the Messiah as a king who liberates Israel, He comes to liberate people from the bondage of sin. His walking on the water displays to the disciples that He is, indeed, the Lord of nature. But He does not come to rule but to give His life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45).

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/24c-05-a-different-kind-of-messiah/

Join It Is Written Sabbath School host Eric Flickinger and this quarter’s author, 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-miracles-around-the-lake-it-is-written-discussions-with-the-author/

View an in-depth discussion of Miracles around the Lake 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-miracles-around-the-lake-hope-sabbath-school-video-discussion/