View an in-depth discussion of Rules of Engagement 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.

(0)

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/10-rules-of-engagement-hope-sabbath-school-video-discussion/

Daily Lesson for Wednesday 5th of March 2025

We have seen in previous lessons that, within the cosmic conflict, Satan and his cohorts are temporarily granted significant jurisdiction in this world, limited according to some kind of rules of engagement.

These rules of engagement limit not only the actions of the enemy—the devil and his cohorts—but they also limit God’s action to eliminate or mitigate the evil that (temporarily) falls within the jurisdiction of the enemy. Because the Lord will never break His promises, to the extent He has agreed to the rules of engagement—thus affording some limited and temporary rulership to the devil—God has morally limited His future course of action (without lessening His raw power).

Image © Rolf Jansson from GoodSalt.com

The New Testament sets forth a clash of kingdoms, the kingdoms of light and darkness, with the darkness coming from Satan and his rebellion. Part of Christ’s mission was to defeat the kingdom of Satan: “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8, NKJV).

Nevertheless, there are “rules” that limit what God can do while remaining true to the principles behind His government. These limits include at least (1) the granting of free will to creatures and (2) the covenantal rules of engagement, which we are not privy to, at least now. Such impediments and limitations on divine action have significant implications for God’s moral ability to reduce and/or immediately eliminate evil in this world. Thus, we see continued evil and suffering, which can indeed cause many people to question either God’s existence or His goodness. However, once the background of the great controversy is understood, and the limits God has placed on how He will deal with evil, we can to some degree better understand why things are as they are—at least until the final triumph of God over evil.

<–Tuesday Thursday–>

(0)

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/25a-10-the-temporary-ruler-of-this-world/

Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church. Acts 12:5 NKJV

When Peter was arrested and put in prison for the sake of the Gospel, the church asked God to intervene and free Peter, which He did. Some may wonder how intercessory prayers work. Does it make a difference? First, I don’t necessarily know how it works, but I know it does. When I flip the light switch on, I can’t explain electricity how it lights up the bulb, but I know it does. I don’t have to understand how the switch makes a light bulb turn on, but that does not keep me from turning on the light.

Do intercessory prayers work? Yes, they do. When my mother was dying and was unconscious, I prayed for God to wake her up just long enough for me to tell her I loved her one more time, and that is exactly what happened. A few years ago, I baptized a mother and her three children, while the husband and father thought baptism was the craziest thing in the world. The family and I prayed for the husband and father, and a year later I baptized him too. Others have told me how a spouse or a loved one accepted Jesus as their Savior after 30 or 40 years of intercessory prayer. I remember a friend in Oklahoma gave a testimony about how she left the church as a teenager, but her mother kept praying for her. Years after her mother died, she came back to Jesus. When she was rebaptized her aunt told her, that her mother made her promise to “take over” praying for her when she died. That story has always stirred my heart, as well as affirming the power of intercessory prayer. I remember praying for my friend whom I will call Anne, who had left our small group Bible study and the church. Every night I prayed, “Lord please send your Holy Spirit to work upon Anne’s heart.” After weeks of praying, she called me and told me she was coming back to Jesus because she felt “The Holy Spirit working on her heart.”

Intercessory prayer works, but again how? Like I’ve previously stated, I don’t understand everything but considering this week’s Sabbath School Lesson we are learning there are parameters in the great cosmic battle between Christ and Satan. Satan claims this world as his own, and while I know well that this is my Father’s world, there are rules to the battle. Temporarily, at least, there is some validity to Satan’s claim to this planet. Why else would he be allowed in those meetings with the other sons of God in Job 1 and 2? In John 14:30 and John 16:11 Jesus refers to Satan as the prince of this world.

In Matthew 8:29 in the NLT the demons accuse Jesus of “interfering” with them. While I am sure Jesus was not breaking any rules, that does give us a hint that there are parameters in the cosmic battle. God cannot intervene where He is not invited, as that would be using force and manipulation, as opposed to love. In Revelation 3:20 Jesus stands knocking at the heart’s door but does not force His way in as that would not be love. We have to open the door to let Him in. This is where intercessory prayers come in. When we pray as members of humanity on behalf of humanity for God to intervene in the lives of humanity, He now has an invitation and is not using force. If Satan protests God’s involvement in meddling with human hearts, God can tell Satan, “I am not using force or manipulation. I have been invited to intervene.” 

This is why Jesus encourages us in Matthew 18:19 -20 that when we gather together in His name He is there to work powerfully to grant our requests, Just as he answered Elijah’s powerful prayers. See James 5:14-18. Being gathered in his name does not mean we have to be gathered in a certain building. We may be in separate hemispheres and be gathered in His name. 

In Matthew 6:10 Jesus prays for His Father’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. In Revelation 12:7-9 Satan was cast out of heaven. When we pray as humanity on behalf of humanity, it opens the way for God to cast Satan out of our hearts, homes and communities. The human heart still has free choice, but God can intervene on behalf of humanity within the parameters of the cosmic battle without using force and manipulation, as He has been invited to intervene just as Elijah prayed for God’s intervention in his day. 

Elijah witnessed a great miracle on Mount Carmel when he prayed for God to intervene with the Baal worshippers in 1 Kings 18. What are some amazing things you have witnessed after praying for God’s intervention? 

(1)

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/does-intercessory-prayer-matter/

Daily Lesson for Tuesday 4th of March 2025

In the book of Job, we are given some fascinating insights into the reality of the great controversy.

Many significant details can be gleaned from these verses. First, there appears to be some kind of heavenly council scene, not merely a dialogue between God and Satan; other celestial beings are involved.

Image © Bible Adventure Collection at Goodsalt.com

Second, there is some existing dispute, signaled by the fact that God asks whether Satan has considered Job. Considered Job for what? The question makes sense in the context of a larger, ongoing dispute.

Third, while God declares Job blameless, upright, and God-fearing, Satan claims that Job appears to fear God only because God protects him. This amounts to slander against both Job’s character and God’s (compare with Revelation 12:10, Zechariah 3:1-10).

Fourth, Satan alleges that God’s protection of Job (the hedge) is unfair and makes it impossible for Satan to prove his allegations. This indicates some existing limits on Satan (rules of engagement), and that Satan has apparently tried to harm Job.

God responds to Satan’s accusation before the heavenly council by allowing Satan to put his theory to the test, but only within limits. He first grants Satan power over “all that he has,” but prohibits personal harm to Job (Job 1:12, NKJV). Later, after Satan claims that Job cares only about himself, God allows Satan to afflict Job personally, but Satan must spare his life (Job 2:3-6).

Satan brings numerous calamities against Job’s household, yet in each case Job continues to bless His name (Job 1:20-22; Job 2:9-10), falsifying Satan’s charges.

We learn many things here, such as that there are rules of engagement in the cosmic conflict. There are parameters in the heavenly court within which the allegations raised against God can be settled, but without God violating the sacred principles inherent in love, the foundation of God’s government and how He rules the universe and the intelligent beings in it.

These heavenly scenes in the book of Job offer us fascinating insights into the reality of the great controversy, and how it is played out here on earth.

<–Monday Wednesday–>

(0)

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/25a-10-the-case-of-job/

Daily Lesson for Monday 3rd of March 2025

The overarching perspective of celestial rulers in the cosmic conflict is encapsulated in the book of Revelation, where the devil is depicted as “the great dragon” who opposes God and “deceives the whole world” (Revelation 12:9, NKJV).

The dragon (Satan) not only wars against God (Revelation 12:7-9) and His servants (for example, Revelation 12:1-6), but he is depicted as the ruler behind the earthly kingdoms who persecute God’s people throughout the ages.

Image © Review & Herald Publishing at Goodsalt.com

The dragon “gave . . . his power, his throne, and great authority” to the beast from the sea (Revelation 13:2, NKJV; compare with Revelation 13:5; Revelation 17:13-14). This beast from the sea is “given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months” (Revelation 13:5, NKJV).

So, Satan (the dragon) gives power and ruling authority to a beast (an earthly religious-political power). This power is exercised in order to usurp the worship due to God. The beast blasphemes God’s name; it also wars against, and even overcomes, God’s holy ones (saints), at least for a period of time. This worldwide authority and jurisdiction is given to him by the dragon, the usurping ruler of this world.

Yet, there are clear limits on Satan and his agencies, as well, including temporal limits. “ ‘Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time’ ” (Revelation 12:12, NKJV).

Satan “knows that his time is short” (Revelation 12:12, ESV), and the events described in Revelation proceed along prophetic time lines, which show specific limits (see Revelation 12:14, Revelation 13:5) to the reign of these evil forces.

Indeed, God finally triumphs. “ ‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away’ ” (Revelation 21:4, NKJV).

<–Sunday Tuesday–>

(0)

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/25a-10-the-dragon-of-revelation/