“Join host Eric Flickinger from It Is Written as he discusses this week’s Sabbath School lesson with the author, Gavin Anthony. Come away with unique insights and discover the main points the author wished to convey in this week’s lesson.”
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dhfTyZYFZs&w=560&h=315]

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/3-the-birdcage-it-is-written-discussions-with-the-author/

You can view an in-depth discussion of The Birdcage; in the Hope Sabbath School class led by Pastor Derek Morris. Click on the image to view: With thanks to Hope Channel – Television that will change your life.

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/3-the-birdcage-hopess-video-discussion/

Part 3: Abandoned by Father

By Andrew McChesney

Father always seemed to be angry after Mother told him that she was going to the Adventist church. Every little thing irritated him. One night, he exploded with rage when Mother arrived home late from a church event.

The next morning, Mother arrived at the dental clinic, where she worked as a secretary, in Manaus, Brazil, and learned that she no longer had a job. The clinic had closed. All the way home, she wondered how to tell Father. But he wasn’t at home, and he didn’t answer phone calls. Then Mother noticed that his clothes were missing from the closet. He had left home.

Mother didn’t say a word to their son, Junior. The boy, busy at school and the gamers club, only noticed that Father was gone three days later when he received a WhatsApp video message on his cell phone. Father said Adventism and his faith, Candomblé, could not coexist in the same house.

Mother also received a WhatsApp message. Father said he had moved to the Candomblé temple, where he worshiped evil spirits as a high priest.

“I’m never going to give up my religion,” he said. “You have to accept it.”

Mother had never heard about the great controversy between Christ and Satan. But she was worried, and she met with Ricardo Coelho, pastor of Alpha Seventh-day Adventist Community Church. Weeping, she confided that Father worked as a Candomblé high priest and had deserted the family.

Pastor Ricardo comforted Mother and, opening his Bible, said kindly, “Let me share some advice with you.” In 1 Corinthians 7:3, he read, “Let the husband render to his wife the affection due her, and likewise also the wife to her husband” (NKJV). In Proverbs 14:1, he read, “The wise woman builds her house, but the foolish pulls it down with her hands.” Looking at Mother, he said, “Be a good wife to your husband, Eduardo, and pray for him.”

The Bible verses encouraged Mother, and she decided to pray even more.

Weeks passed, and Mother ran out of money. She found strength in the Bible and prayed the promise of Joshua 1:9, which says, “Be strong and of good courage … for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

When Grandmother, Father’s mother, learned that the family was low on food, she called Father, and he began to deliver groceries.

One day, Grandmother told Mother that spirits had summoned her and Junior to the temple. When the pair arrived, Father was possessed by an evil spirit who spoke through him in a low, distorted voice. The spirit said Father could go back home but threatened to kill him if Mother or Junior tried to teach him about their religion or invited him to church.

Father returned home that day. He had been gone for two months. Mother prayed even more.

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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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/inside-story-south-american-division-part-3-abandoned-by-father/

Further Thought:

Read Ellen G. White, “The Exodus,” Pages 281-290; “From the Red Sea to Sinai,” Pages 291-302, in Patriarchs and Prophets; “The Temptation,” Pages 114-123, in The Desire of Ages.

Image © Stan Myers from GoodSalt.com

“But of old the Lord led his people to Rephidim, and he may choose to lead us there also, to test our loyalty. He does not always bring us to pleasant places. If he did, in our self-sufficiency we should forget that he is our helper. He longs to manifest himself to us, and to reveal the abundant supplies at our disposal, and he permits trial and disappointment to come to us that we may realize our helplessness, and learn to call upon him for aid. He can cause cooling streams to flow from the flinty rock. We shall never know, until we are face to face with God, when we shall see as we are seen, and know as we are known, how many burdens he has borne for us, and how many burdens he would have been glad to bear, if, with childlike faith, we had brought them to him.” — Ellen G. White, “Rephidim,” Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, April 7, 1903.

Discussion Questions:

<–Thursday

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/friday-further-thought-birdcage/

There was a young man whom we’ll call Alex. He had come out of a very troubled youth: drugs, violence, even some time in jail. But then, through the kindness of a local church member (whom Alex had stolen from), Alex learned about God and gave his heart to Jesus. Though he still had his problems and struggles, and though elements of his past still lingered, Alex was a new person in Jesus. He loved God and sought to express that love by obeying His commandments (1 John 5:1-2). At one point, Alex felt impressed that he should be a minister. Everything pointed to it. He was answering God’s call, no doubt about it.

Image © Pacific Press at Goodsalt.com

At college things went well at first. Then one thing after another went awry, and his life began coming apart. His source of money started to dry up; a close friend turned against him, making accusations about him that were false but that damaged his reputation. Next, he kept on getting sick; no one knew what it was, but it impacted his studies to the point where he was afraid that he was going to have to drop out of school completely. On top of it all, he was fighting fierce temptations with drugs, which were readily available in the local community. At one point he even fell in that area. Alex couldn’t understand why all this was happening, especially because he was sure that the Lord had led him to this school to begin with. Was Alex wrong about that? If so, was his whole experience with God a huge mistake? Even the most basic elements of his faith were coming under doubt.

Imagine that, amid this crisis, Alex comes to you and asks for advice. What would you say? What experiences of your own have you had that could help someone like him? What Bible verses would you use? How helpful might the following verses be in such a situation? Proverbs 3:1-35, Jeremiah 29:13, Romans 8:28, 2 Corinthians 12:9, Hebrews 13:5.

<–Wednesday Friday–>

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/thursday-trial-by-fire/