What is your greatest accomplishment ever? Chances are, whatever you achieved did not happen simply by your rolling out of bed in the morning. If we want to achieve something worthwhile in this life, it takes time and effort. Our discipleship to Christ is no different.

Read Colossians 1:28-29. Though Paul talks about God working in him, in what ways does he show the human effort also involved? See also Deuteronomy 4:4, Luke 13:24, 1 Corinthians 9:25, Hebrews 12:4.

Image © Jack Purdue at Goodsalt.com

In Colossians 1:29 there is a very interesting insight into the way Paul sees his relationship with God in this work. He says that he is struggling — but with the power of God.

The word for “labor” means to “grow weary,” to “work to the point of exhaustion.” This word was used particularly of athletes as they trained. The word for “struggle,” which comes next, can mean in some languages “to agonize.” So, we have the word picture of an athlete straining with everything to win. But then Paul adds a twist to the idea, because Paul is straining, not with everything he has, but with everything that God gives him. So we are left with a simple conclusion about Paul’s ministry — it was a ministry done with great personal effort and discipline, but done with God’s power. This relationship works in exactly the same way as we pursue the development of Christ’s character in us.

This is important to remember, because we live in a world in which we want more and more with less and less effort. That idea has crept into Christianity, too. Some Christian evangelists promise that if you just believe, the Holy Spirit will fall upon you with amazing supernatural power and perform great miracles. But this can be a dangerous half-truth, because it can lead people to the conclusion that we just need to wait for God’s power to come while sitting comfortably in our seats!

<–Sunday Tuesday–>

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Have you ever prayed, “Please, God, make me good!” but little seems to change? How is it possible that we can pray for God’s great transforming power to work within us, but our lives seem to remain the same? We know that God has unlimited supernatural resources that He so eagerly and freely offers us. We really want to take advantage of it all, and yet, our lives don’t seem to change in a way that matches what God is offering.

Why? One reason is disturbingly simple: While the Spirit has unlimited power to transform us, it is possible by our own choices to restrict what God can do.

Image © Krieg Barrie from GoodSalt.com

Read John 16:5-15. In this passage, Jesus calls the Holy Spirit the “Spirit of truth” (John 16:13, NIV). What does this imply that the Holy Spirit does for us?

While the Holy Spirit can bring us the truth about our sinfulness, He cannot make us repent. He can also show us the greatest truth about God, but He cannot force us to believe or obey it. If God did compel us in even the slightest way, we would lose our free will, and Satan would accuse God of manipulating our minds and hearts and thus be able to accuse God of cheating in the great controversy. When the great controversy broke out in heaven, our Father did not compel Satan or any of the angels to believe that He was good and just or compel the angels to repent. And in the Garden of Eden, when so much was at stake again, God made the truth about the tree in the middle of the garden very clear, but did not prevent Eve and Adam from exercising their free will to disobey. God will not act any differently with us today. So, the Spirit presents the truth about God and sin and then says, “In view of what I have shown you, what will you do now?”

It is the same when we are in the crucible. Sometimes the crucible is there precisely because we have not obeyed or repented of our sins. For our Father to work in such cases, we must consciously choose to open the doors of repentance and obedience in order for God’s power to enter in and transform us.

<–Sabbath Monday–>

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Sabbath Afternoon

Read for This Week’s Study: John 16:5-15; Colossians 1:28-29; 1 Peter 1:13, Matthew 5:29; Genesis 32:1-32.

Memory Text: “To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me” (Colossians 1:29, NIV).

A man and woman sat together on a talk show. Both had experienced the murder of a child. The woman’s son had been murdered 20 years before, and her anger and bitterness were as great as ever. The man was totally different. His daughter had been murdered by terrorists a few years earlier. He spoke about forgiveness toward the killers and about how God had transformed his hurt. However terrible the pain, this man had become an illustration of how God can bring healing to the darkest moments of our lives.

How can two people respond so differently? How does spiritual change occur in the life of a Christian, enabling that individual to mature through life’s crucibles rather than being completely overwhelmed by them?

The Week at a Glance: What is the role of our wills, and willpower, in the battle with self and sin? How can we avoid the mistake of letting our feelings rule the decisions we make? Why must we persevere and not give up when in the crucible?

Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, August 6.

Sunday–>

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Support for the mission activities of the Seventh-day Adventist church has always been part of the Sabbath School program. This video is Mission Spotlight for this week.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O16T8nKlBQs&w=560&h=315]

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Part 5: Crashing a Baptism

By Andrew McChesney

The day of Junior’s baptism arrived. Five people, including Junior, were to be baptized at 4 p.m. at Alpha Seventh-day Adventist Community Church in Manaus, Brazil. “I won’t go,” Father said. “Drive me to the temple.”

On the way to church, Mother wondered out loud whether Father might still show up in his high priestly robes from the Candomblé temple. “I don’t care if Father comes in all his robes,” Junior said. “I’ll accept him.”

At the church, Pastor Ricardo announced that Junior would be baptized first and invited him to share his story as he stood near the baptismal pool. Junior told how he was bullied at school and his classmate Clifferson had invited him to a video gamers club that sang about Jesus and discussed the Bible. When Junior finished, he waded into the baptismal pool and turned around to look at the congregation. At that moment, Father, wearing his high priestly robes, entered the sanctuary. Mother burst into tears. “He’s here,” she said. “He said he wouldn’t come, but he’s here.”

Heads turned to look at the back of the hall. Mother prayed silently, and church members familiar with Father’s work also prayed. Others stared in amazement at Father’s flowing robes. Everyone treated him with respect.

A church deacon stood beside Father, greeting him. “Welcome, Eduardo!” sai

d the deacon, Roberto Fernandez. “We were waiting for you. Come!” He led Father to the baptismal pool, where Junior was waiting to be baptized.

A million thoughts filled Junior’s mind. “God planned everything,” he thought. “No one knew in advance that I would be baptized first, and Father arrived just as I entered the pool. God’s plans are perfect!”

Each of the five baptisms was supposed to take 10 minutes, but Junior’s lasted an hour. Several friends from the video gamers club stood up to praise God for Junior’s decision and to encourage him to be faithful. Pastor Ricardo asked the Pathfinders to sing, and everyone joined in.

As Junior came out of the water, the Pathfinders joyfully waved their yellow scarves. Junior, dripping wet, hugged Father. “Daddy, despite your religion, I love you very much,” he said. Looking at the audience, he added, “I thank you for being here. But most of all I thank my father for being here.”

Then Father addressed Junior. “Son, I accept your religion because many supernatural things have happened,” he said. “I have kept you away from my religion this whole time, and I didn’t want you to become involved in any religion. However, I accept your religion because I sense a supernatural energy right now. I only hope that my own path to Jesus isn’t painful.”

As the family got into the car afterward, Father said, “This is such a nice place, and the people are so nice.“ He was beaming with joy.

Your Thirteenth Sabbath Offering will help open eight churches in the South American Division, including four in Brazil, where Father (Eduardo Ferreira dos Santos) and his family live.

Produced by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission. Find more mission stories at adventistmission[dot]org

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