“For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named” (Ephesians 3:14-15, NKJV). What imagery is evoked in this verse, and what hope is found there?

Early in Jesus’ ministry, He states, “In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name” (Matthew 6:9, NKJV). Later He repeats the same prayer privately to His disciples (Luke 11:2). Jesus told us to call His Father, “Our Father in heaven.” When Jesus encountered Mary after His resurrection, she wanted to embrace Him. Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God’ ” (John 20:17, NKJV).

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Because we have the same Father as Jesus, He is our brother, and we are all brothers and sisters in the Lord. Jesus became a member of the earthly family so that we could become members of the heavenly family. “The family of heaven and the family of earth are one.” — Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 835.

Read Exodus 3:10; Exodus 5:1; and Galatians 3:26, Galatians 3:29. What do these verses say about how God relates to us? Why should this be so encouraging?

In contrast to a view of creation in which we are deemed the mere products of cold, uncaring natural laws, Scripture teaches not only that God exists, but that He loves us and relates to us in such a loving manner that the imagery of family is often used in Scripture to depict that relationship. Whether Jesus calls Israel “My people,” or us “sons of God,” or refers to God as “our Father,” the point is still the same: God loves us the way family members are supposed to love each other. What good news amid a world that, in and of itself, can be very hostile!

<–Sabbath Monday–>

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Sabbath Afternoon

Read for This Week’s Study: Galatians 3:26, Galatians 3:29; Psalm 50:10-12; 1 Chronicles 29:13-14; Philippians 4:19; 1 John 5:3; Matthew 6:19-21.

Memory Text: “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!” (1 John 3:1, NKJV).

As Christians, an amazing feature about our relationship with God, is that He trusts us to manage His affairs on the earth. At the very outset of human history, God explicitly delegated to Adam and Eve the personal care of a flawless creation. (See Genesis 2:7-9, Genesis 2:15) From the naming of the animals, to keeping the Garden, and to filling the earth with children, God let it be known that we are to work on His behalf here.

He also blesses us with resources, but we are the ones whom He has entrusted to manage them, such as to collect money, to write the checks, to do the electronic transfers, to make the budgets, or to bring our tithes and offerings to the church on Sabbath mornings. God encourages us to spend the resources that He has given to us for our own needs, for the needs of others, and for the advancement of His work. Incredible as it may seem, we are the ones whom God has entrusted with raising His children, building His buildings, and educating the succeeding generations.

In this week’s study, we will explore the privileges and responsibilities of being a part of the family of God.

Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, January 7.

Sunday–>

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Managing for the Master — Until He Comes

It is difficult for us to comprehend fully the relationship that our God, the Creator of the universe, wants to have with us human beings. (The mere idea of it is astounding!) “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!” (1 John 3:1, NKJV). Or as Ellen G. White wrote: “Can any human dignity equal this? What higher position can we occupy than to be called the sons of the infinite God? … Can any worldly honor equal this?” — Ellen G. White, God’s Amazing Grace, p. 341. It’s only the darkness of this sin-laden world that causes us not to appreciate fully the status that we have been given in Jesus.

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Yet, if we are not careful, the lure of the world and the things of the world will pull us away from Christ. The Word of God informs us of the temptations and allurements of Satan. “But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows” (1 Timothy 6:9-10, , NKJV).

The Lord, however, gives us guidance on how to earn money and utilize it wisely and not to let it be something that, as Paul warned, can lead to “destruction and perdition.” In the more than 2,000 verses in the Scriptures that deal with money and possessions and our attitude toward them, God gives practical instruction on how to live above the stresses of life and to manage in financially faithful ways what we have been given.

In this quarter’s lessons, we will study God’s ideal in our relationship with Him and clearly see how we can develop a trust so deep that we will remain faithful to Him, even when we can’t buy or sell. (See Revelation 13:17) But this kind of faith does not come overnight; by faithfully managing what God has given us, we can be prepared, even now, for whatever comes our way.

God is the One with the resources, and when we work with Him, He allows us to handle them for Him. It is the Savior’s purpose that human beings, purified and sanctified, shall be His helping hand. For this great privilege, let us give thanks to Him “who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:13-14).

God’s counsel to His children through the wise man, Solomon, is: “Honor the Lord with your possessions, and with the firstfruits of all your increase” (Proverbs 3:9, NKJV). This counsel is appropriate because “You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created” (Revelation 4:11, NKJV).

From a merely secular perspective, we live in very challenging and stressful times. However, our Christian worldview gives us confidence and hope as we see the signs Jesus gave to let us know that the great climax of human history, the second coming of Christ, is very near — even at the door. We pray that these practical lessons will deepen your faith and trust in God and encourage you to be a faithful manager for Him.

G. Edward Reid, M.Div. (Andrews University), MPH (Loma Linda University), JD (Georgia State University), is an ordained minister and licensed attorney who served for many years as the director of Stewardship Ministries of the North American Division.

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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=e8LdS8srhnw&w=560&h=315]

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/mission-spotlight-for-december-31/

Influential Juice Bar in Fuji

By George Kwong

Wailoaloa Beach is a popular tourist destination known for affordable lodging, restaurants, and especially bars and night spots in Nadi, Fiji. But when COVID-19 struck, many small cafes, fast food outlets, and restaurants lost business along the beach. One such place was the Bamboo Resort.

Image © Pacific Press

Sensing an opportunity, three local Seventh-day Adventist churches teamed up with Bamboo Resort to open Bitu Wellness Bar, a juice bar offering health and wellness programs such as free biometric screenings, exercise programs, fat-loss challenges, and personalized meal plans. The bar, whose name bitu means “bamboo” in the local language, quickly gained popularity among the locals, who streamed in for healthy fresh juices daily.

Church members prayed that the bar would serve as a center of influence to encourage Fijians to take a more wholistic approach toward health in a region where people struggle with lifestyle diseases, particularly diabetes. The bar — supported by the South Pacific Division’s 10,000 Toes campaign, a recipient of a 2019 Thirteenth Sabbath Offering — also sought to raise awareness about healthy alternatives to alcohol.

But then a second wave of COVID-19 struck Fiji, and the authorities ordered that the Bamboo Resort shut down along with the juice bar. For two weeks, customers called daily to find out when and where the juice bar would reopen. What happened next surprised everyone.

A married couple who managed the neighboring Beach Escape Resort had watched crowds pouring in and out of the Bamboo Resort daily and had noticed that more people visited the juice bar than the liquor bar. They also noted with satisfaction a decrease in alcohol-related incidents on their street.

The couple contacted church members and offered the use of their liquor bar and other premises as a wellness hub. Church members initially declined the offer, not wanting to offer fruit juice in the same place as alcohol, but the managers explained that they wanted to stop selling alcohol altogether.

Alcohol was cleared out, and bar equipment was replaced with juicing machines, blenders, and fruits, vegetables, and herbs. The Bitu Wellness Bar was up and running again.

Church members expressed amazement at the marvelous way that God leads. The juice bar has not only influenced the patrons of the Bamboo Resort, but it also has transformed the Beach Escape Resort into a center of influence that is bringing hope and healing to the community.

Thank you for your 2019 Thirteenth Sabbath Offering that supported the South Pacific Division’s 10,000 Toes campaign in Fiji and other South Pacific countries. Thank you for planning a generous Thirteenth Sabbath Offering this quarter to support new projects to spread the gospel in the South Pacific Division and beyond.

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

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