Inside Story for Friday 22nd of December 2023

By Andrew McChesney

Since childhood, Joseph Delamou had gone to church daily and, following his father’s example, knelt before images. But he had a vivid dream when he asked God if he was going to the right church. He sensed that God was calling him to leave his father’s church.

-year-old Joseph joined another church in Conakry, capital of the French-speaking country of Guinea in West Africa. He soon became its youth leader, and he organized numerous outreach programs.

Several years passed, and Joseph’s father grew increasingly displeased with his son for going to another church. “I want you to learn English,” he said. “You need to give up your church activities and focus on English.”

Joseph was reluctant to stop going to church. But to make Father happy, he quit the outreach programs and enrolled in English lessons at the age of 23.

The English teacher, Fortunate Kaloubilori, opened the first lesson with the words, “Let’s pray.” Joseph was astonished. He had thought that he was giving up God to learn English, but the teacher prayed at every lesson.

Three weeks into the lessons, the teacher asked Joseph for help. “I have many papers to grade,” Fortunate said. “Please, could you stay and help?”

After grading the papers, Fortunate invited Joseph to study the Bible with him. Joseph was pleased. He thought, God is following me everywhere!

But the Bible study left him confused. He had left his father’s church to join another church. But now he was hearing new Bible teachings that seemed to lead to Fortunate’s church, the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

“This is because of my father,” Joseph told himself, bitterly. “If he hadn’t sent me to these lessons, I wouldn’t have these problems.”

He continued Bible studies for two months and then went to his pastor for advice. He wanted to know which church was right. The pastor dismissed the Adventists as incorrect.

“Don’t listen to them,” he said.

Joseph asked for a meeting with the pastor and Fortunate to discuss the Bible. The pastor refused to come and sent representatives. When the representatives failed to support their views from the Bible, the pastor demanded a second meeting. But again, he sent representatives whose answers didn’t satisfy Joseph.

Joseph decided to pray and fast for three days about what to do. Then he had another dream.

Your Thirteenth Sabbath Offering on December 30 will help spread the gospel in the West-Central Africa Division, which includes Guinea. Thank you for planning a generous offering. Read more about Joseph and Fortunate (pictured) next week.

(3)

The post Inside Story: Dreaming Dreams ~ Part 2 appeared first on Sabbath School Net.

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/23d-12-inside-story-dreaming-dreams-part-2/

Daily Lesson for Friday 22nd of December 2023

“To every household and every school, to every parent, teacher, and child upon whom has shone the light of the gospel, comes at this crisis the question put to Esther the queen at that momentous crisis in Israel’s history, ‘Who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?’ Esther 4:14.”—Ellen G. White, Education, p. 263.

“Esther was a beautiful Jewish girl, cousin of Mordecai, who took her into his home after her parents died, and loved her as his own daughter. God used her to save the Jewish people in the land of Persia.” (Note: This second paragraph above is introductory material included about Esther in Daughters of God on page 45 and was not written by Ellen White. However, the two subsequent quotations below were written by her.)

“In ancient times the Lord worked in a wonderful way through consecrated women who united in His work with men whom He had chosen to stand as His representatives. He used women to gain great and decisive victories. More than once, in times of emergency, He brought them to the front and worked through them for the salvation of many lives. Through Esther the queen, the Lord accomplished a mighty deliverance for His people. At a time when it seemed that no power could save them, Esther and the women associated with her, by fasting and prayer and prompt action, met the issue, and brought salvation to their people. . . .

“A study of women’s work in connection with the cause of God in the Old Testament times will teach us lessons that will enable us to meet emergencies in the work today. We may not be brought into such a critical and prominent place as were the people of God in the time of Esther; but often converted women can act an important part in more humble positions. This many have been doing and are still ready to do.”—Ellen G. White, Daughters of God, pp. 45, 46.

Discussion Questions

1. The book of Esther does leave us with some unanswered questions, particularly concerning Esther’s role in the court of the king, even though she was elevated to the role of queen. How do we reconcile these things with her faith, or can we?
    
2. The famous words of Esther, “ ‘and if I perish, I perish!’ ” (Esther 4:16, NKJV), have echoed down through the millennia as an example of faithfulness even in the face of death. How do her words reflect what God’s people will face in the last days, when the issues in Revelation 13:1-18 become a reality?
    
3. In class, go over the question, at the end of Monday’s study, about not revealing your faith at times. Should that ever be the case for us?
    

(1)

The post Friday: Further Thought – Esther and Mordecai appeared first on Sabbath School Net.

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/23d-12-further-thought-esther-and-mordecai/

Daily Lesson for Thursday 21st of December 2023

Commentators for millennia have noticed that God’s name does not appear in the book of Esther. This is the only biblical book where such a phenomenon occurs. However, the Jews were able to recognize God’s actions in the great deliverance made for them, and this book was selected by God’s people to be included in the canon of the Bible.

Are we able to discover the presence of God beneath the surface of our daily life? God’s actions can take the appearance of normal, natural events, and if we don’t pay careful attention to them, we will not notice God’s presence.

The miracle of Purim takes a very unusual form. The miracle is hidden, disguised in apparently natural events. The law to destroy the Jews was not reversed, but a new law was written, allowing the Jews to defend themselves.

Also, notice what else had happened, and how God was able to work through these events. The Persians noticed God’s actions on behalf of the Jews.

And the result?

“Many people of other nationalities became Jews” (Esther 8:17, NIV). This is a great example of how the Lord was able to work to bring lost souls to a knowledge of Him.

The leaders of the Jewish people recognized the working of God. When the Jews were victorious in defending themselves, they declared a yearly time (called Purim) in remembrance and celebration of their victory. These days are still traditionally spent in thanksgiving to God in remembrance of His deliverance.

(0)

The post Thursday: The Miracle of Purim appeared first on Sabbath School Net.

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/23d-12-the-miracle-of-purim/

Join It Is Written Sabbath School host Eric Flickinger and this week’s featured guest, Jeff Scogging, as they provide additional insights into this week’s Sabbath School lesson, “Esther and Mordecai.”

(0)

The post 12: Esther and Mordecai – It is Written – Discussions with the Author appeared first on Sabbath School Net.

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/12-esther-and-mordecai-it-is-written-discussions-with-the-author/

You can view an in-depth discussion of Esther and Mordecai in the Hope Sabbath School class led by Pastor Derek Morris. Click on this link to view the discussion:
Hope Sabbathschool 12: Mission Lessons from Esther and Mordecai
With thanks to

Hope Channel – Television that will change your life.

(0)

The post 12: Esther and Mordecai – HopeSS Video Discussion appeared first on Sabbath School Net.

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/12-esther-and-mordecai-hopess-video-discussion/