tried

I don’t adapt readily to change. My car is an example of that. I’ve been driving my black Honda Prelude for more than two decades now—and it’s still going strong. Bought new in 1991, it has moved with my family and me from North Carolina to Maryland to Michigan to Idaho and back to Maryland. It has safely transported me on countless trips both near and far. Despite the mileage being just shy of 200,000, its reliability hasn’t wavered, but it’s definitely showing signs of age. My younger brother, who at one time used to plead relentlessly to take my car for a spin, now implores me to purchase another vehicle that’s at least new enough to boast electric locks. I’ve yet to relent.

A few months back, however, I flippantly remarked to my husband that the “old girl” could use a face-lift. Numerous scratches here, a few rust spots there, and a dent in the front driver side were reminding me that my Honda is no longer young. So last Christmas he surprised me with a wonderful gift. No, not a new car—but one that looked almost new. He’d had my Honda meticulously detailed and some paint restoration work done. Together with a high-gloss polish, top-of-the-line replacement wiper blades, and a newly cleaned engine, my car looked little different from when I first drove it off the car lot. I was delighted!

For those of us who grip what’s familiar with both hands (as I have done with my car), adapting to a rapidly changing world is sometimes painful—but change we must, inside the church, as well. God expects us to meet people where they are, and without compromising our biblical beliefs “one jot or tittle,” we’re called to be innovative and think outside the box. This doesn’t mean, however, that we discard everything traditional. If we pause to examine our church carefully, I believe we can see much creative thinking that’s utilizing both fresh and proven methods to propel the gospel forward. 

The Adventist Church, for example, has been a leader in harnessing satellite technology to reach more people at one time than ever before. Available today in a variety of viewing platforms, the church’s TV ministry, Hope Channel, touches millions of viewers in Africa, Asia, Europe, South America, and the islands of the Pacific in their own native languages. Such technology boggles the mind!

Satellite broadcasts, however, are not easily accessible in all world regions, but in many of those areas “old-fashioned” shortwave is. Adventist World Radio estimates that its shortwave and AM/FM broadcasts in 80 languages reach a potential two thirds of the world’s population. Last November it began broadcasting for the first time on FM radio in India in the Teluga language. Additional broadcasts in Hindi and English will soon follow.

We also can’t forget the printed page. The Great Hope presidential initiative of giving out massive quantities of Ellen G. White’s book The Great Controversy has to date resulted in millions of copies of the book distributed within our 13 world divisions. Numerous accounts of men and women accepting Jesus as their Savior as a direct result of reading The Great Controversy are reported almost daily.

Just recently I was introduced to the quip “That is so four seconds ago!”—created by a young person, no doubt. This certainly encapsulates the fast-paced world in which we live and the need for the church to keep up. But let’s not totally discard the “tried and true” methods, either. If we polish them a little and fix a scratch or two, we may be surprised at how effective they still can be.

After all, if we reduce evangelism to its basic form, it’s simply one person telling another person about Jesus. By God’s grace we can all do that—no matter which method we use.

________

Sandra Blackmer is features editor of the Adventist Review. This article was published January 24, 2013.

profit

What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Mark 8:36, 37.

It is the purpose of redemption, not only to blot out sin, but to give back to man those spiritual gifts lost because of sin's dwarfing power. Money cannot be carried into the next life; it is not needed there. But the good deeds done to win souls to Christ, the faithful investment of God's entrusted treasure, these are carried to the heavenly courts. Those who selfishly spend the Lord's goods on themselves, leaving their needy fellow creatures without aid, who do not advance God's work in our world, dishonor their Maker. Robbery of God is written opposite their names.

Poverty is not a sin unless by recklessness men bring poverty upon themselves. And even then, if they repent, they will be pardoned.... Those who have faith in Christ as a personal Saviour, even though they may occupy a humble place in the world, are heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ to an immortal inheritance. They have an insurance policy to eternal life.

After enumerating the privileges of those who work on the plan of addition, constantly adding Christian attributes to the character, the apostle Peter declares that God will work on the plan of multiplication: "Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, according as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.... Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure; for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 1:2-11). Here is our life insurance policy. Shall we not work on God's plan to secure it?

Man is ever dear to the heart of God. The Creator of the world comes graciously near and still nearer to all those in every nation who receive Jesus as a personal Saviour....

That which is highly esteemed among men is abhorrent in the sight of God. Christ asks, "What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? (Mark 8:36, 37).

Manuscript 6, January 31, 1899, "The Poor Rich Man." E G White's

.....flawless....

"The power of the Church is not a parade of flawless people, 

but of a flawless Christ who embraces our flaws. 

The Church is not made up of whole people, 

rather of the broken people who find wholeness in a Christ who was broken for us."

Mike 

......... we can

Max Lucado writes from the US, yet the implication is universal:
Two-thousand years ago the disciples of Jesus started a movement that changed the world.  Are we still changing the world?  We can.
We can be two-thousand times more effective—if we only try!

Here’s an example.  There are 145 million orphans worldwide.  Nearly 236 million of us living in the U.S. call ourselves Christian.  From a purely statistical standpoint, by ourselves, we have the wherewithal to house every orphan in the world.  There’s enough food on the planet to feed the hungry!  But the storehouse is locked.

God has given our generation everything we need to alter the course of human suffering.
Change must start with us!
With our transformation!
Ours is the wealthiest generation of Christians ever!
We can be more effective—if only we try!
May this change begin with me, in this day

Jesus reaches to us in different of ways and at times with innate substances that are taken for granted, yet they are employed by Him to remind us of that which He is doing to us, see what happened to our sister Marion:

Recently I bought a new product on the laundry aisle of the grocery store which has been a helpful commodity in our household. The liquid in this spray bottle removes odors from fabrics when applied. You just spray it on, and the invisible odor droplets are consumed and obliterated. It is quite amazing the way it works! Just soaking up those smells. I don't understand how this happens, but I know it gets the job done! I have tried it...and, sure enough, odor is gone!

God is willing to do the same for you and for me. Each of us was born with our own stench of sin, and only God can remove it. He can just soak up the smell of our wrongdoing and remove it from our lives. He does this through the shed blood of Jesus, who died on the cross for us. Just as I don't understand how Febreeze works, neither do I understand how Jesus sacrifices work, but I know- by faith that it does!

How thankful I am that my distance from God can be removed - once and for all soaked up and dissolved into nothingness by the shed blood of Jesus.   

How thankful I am

May this be our experience too!

? useless

Max Lucado has this entry for our indepth consideration:

Some questions aren’t always easy to answer.  Maybe that’s the way it should be!  Here’s just that kind of question:

“I get tired of hearing people brush aside troubles with the platitude in Romans 8:28, ‘All things work together for good.’ Isn’t saying that cruel?”

The verse says, “We know that in everything God works for the good of those who love Him.”  I think it’s one of the most helpful, comforting verses in the entire Bible.  It announces God’s sovereignty in any painful, tragic situation we face. Why?  Because we know God is at work for our good!  He uses our struggles to build character.

So what do we do?  We trust.  Totally!  And we remember. . .God is working for the good.  Yes, any verse can be misused, but that doesn’t make it useless!

johnny

There was a little boy visiting his grandparents on their farm. He was given a slingshot to play with, out in the woods. He practiced in the woods, but he could never hit the target. Getting a little discouraged, he headed back to dinner.

As he was walking back, he saw Grandma's pet duck. Just out of impulse, he let fly, hit the duck square in the head, and killed it. He was shocked and grieved. In a panic, he hid the dead duck in the wood pile, only to see his sister watching. Sally had seen it all, but she said nothing.

After lunch that day grandma said, "Sally, let's wash the dishes."

But Sally said, "Grandma, Johnny told me he wanted to help in the kitchen today, didn't you Johnny?" And then she whispered to him, "Remember, the duck?" So Johnny did the dishes.

Later Grandpa asked if the children wanted to go fishing, and Grandma said, "I'm sorry but I need Sally to help make supper."

But Sally smiled and said, "Well, that's all right because Johnny told me he wanted to help." And she whispered again, "Remember, the duck?" So Sally went fishing and Johnny stayed.

After several days of Johnny doing both his chores and Sally's, he finally couldn't stand it any longer. He came to Grandma and confessed that he killed the duck. She knelt down, gave him a hug, and said, "Sweetheart, I know. You see, I was standing at the window and I saw the whole thing. But because I love you, I forgave you. But I was just wondering how long would you let Sally make a slave of you."

I don't know what's in your past. I don't know what one sin the enemy keeps throwing up in your face. But whatever it is, I want you to know something.Jesus Christ was standing at the window and He saw the whole thing. But because He loves you, He is ready to forgive you. Perhaps He's wondering how long you'll let the enemy make a slave out of you. The great thing about God is that He not only forgives, but He forgets.

"For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more." (Hebrews 8:12)

"I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you." (Isaiah 44:22)

..........He Knows!

A young woman wrote to me,  “My boyfriend and I split up.  I applied for a job and was rejected.  Is God even listening to me?

You need to know that God knows more about life than we do! And, yes, He’s listening!  One day, my then six-year old said she wanted me leave the ministry.  “I just really wish you sold snow cones!”  An honest request from an honest heart.  To her the happiest people in the world were the guys who drove the snow-cone trucks. I heard her request, but I didn’t heed it.  Why?  Because I know more about life than she did.

Same with God. God hears our requests.  But His answer isn’t always what we’d like it to be.  Because He knows more about life than we do?  Don’t panic.  Don’t bail out.  Talk to your heavenly Father.  He’s still in control!

“Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down.” Philippians 4:6-7

Model

Jesus was God’s model of a human being. Relentlessly kind in a world of cruelty. Honest in the midst of hypocrisy. When it came to sin, Jesus never did. When it comes to sin, we have never stopped.

Ephesians 2:1 says, we are “dead in trespasses and sins.”  We’re lost.  Blinded.  Without Christ, we are strangers having no hope and without God in the world.  According to the Bible, sin is not a regrettable lapse or an occasional stumble.  Sin is an attitude of rebellion!  But God in his gracious kindness declares us not guilty.  He has done this through Christ Jesus, who has freed us by taking away our sins.  We are made right with God.

Take sometime today to thank God for the day Jesus took your place…for the day grace happened to you!

“But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. Ephesians 2:5″

with thanks from Max Lucado

May you be blessed with a Sabbath rest in keeping with your restlessness

Competent

These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful. Revelation 17:14.

What is life? A standing memorial of the only true God. The work of creation can never be explained by science. What intellect is there that can explain the science of life? Can we wonder that the materialist has no place for the existence of God? The fourth commandment declares to the whole universe, to the worlds unfallen and the fallen world, that God created the world in six days and rested on the seventh. The evidence there given does not leave standing room for skepticism....

Christ, the Commander in the heavenly courts, was accustomed to receive the attendance and adoration of angels. And at any time during His life on this earth He could have called to His Father for twelve legions of angels. But no bribe, no temptation to lead Him to manifest His divine prerogatives, could induce Him to deviate from the path of God's appointment. Great tact and cunning were shown in the tactics which Satan followed. Three times did the enemy try to gain the victory over Christ. He assailed Him on the point of appetite. He appealed to His pride. He presented before Him the most captivating scenes of this world. He challenged Him to give evidence that He was the Son of God. Christ gave him none, but righteously maintained His dignity as One to whom God has committed all power.

Today, Satan has great power in the world. He has been permitted to have proprietorship of this earth for an appointed time. During this period, when iniquity prevails, men and women are given a chance to take sides. In every possible way, Satan tries to make the broad road attractive and the narrow road grievous, humiliating, and objectionable. He lays ingenious plans to allure men and women to indulge appetite. Cheap, unsatisfying pleasures are made all and in all in this degenerate age. Satan throws his glamour about these amusements, which eclipse eternal things. Many will sell their birthright, as did Esau, for trifling consideration by the indulgence of appetite. Worldly pleasure will appear more desirable to them than the heavenly birthright.

But Christ has overcome in our behalf. He was the only one who could be a competent Saviour. He had divine wisdom, ability, and power. He could stand before the world as a wonderful Counsellor, the mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. 

Letter 7, January 25, 1900 E G White

.........gloom

Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing.... Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him and bless his name. Psalm 100:2-4.

Let every church member kneel before God while in His temple, and consecrate to Him His own, which He has bought with the blood of Christ....

God will bless all who will thus prepare themselves for His service. They will understand what it means to have the assurance of the Spirit, because they have received Christ by faith. The religion of Christ means much more than the forgiveness of sin. It means taking away our sins and filling the vacuum with the Holy Spirit. It means divine illumination, rejoicing in God. It means a heart emptied of self, and blessed with the abiding presence of Christ. We need the vital qualities of Christianity, and when we possess them, the church will be a living, active, working church. There will be growth in grace, because the bright rays of the Sun of Righteousness pervade the chambers of the mind.

Let us not bring the gloom of unbelief into the church. Let us trim our lamps, seeking a fresh supply of oil, before we step over the threshold. It is our right, our privilege, to dismiss gloomy depression. As we go to the house of worship, we may go with joyfulness, for are we not going to meet with God and His people? ...

Let no thought of criticism enter your mind, to torment you, for Satan is near. He will do this work without your help. Refuse to cooperate with the accuser of the brethren. Gather up every ray of light, then seek out those who need help, and give this light to them. God says, "Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled" (Luke 14:23)....

The Lord will greatly bless His tried and chosen ones, if they will cooperate with Him. When the Holy Spirit came down on the day of Pentecost, it was like a rushing, mighty wind. It was given in no stinted measure, for it filled all the place where the disciples were sitting. So will it be given to us when our hearts are prepared to receive it....

When you meet with the Lord, say, I am in the Lord's house, and I desire all wicked thoughts, all mistrust and murmuring against my brethren, to be banished. We have met here with God, who "so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16).—Manuscript 2, January 24, 1899, "The Need of Greater Consecration."

The Will...........

Remember,

The Will of God will never take you...

...Where the grace of God cannot keep you

...Where the arms of God cannot support you

...Where the riches of God cannot supply your needs

...Where the power of God cannot endow you.

 The Will of God will never take you...

...Where the spirit of God cannot work through you

...Where the wisdom of God cannot teach you

...Where the army of God cannot protect you

...Where the hands of God cannot mold you.

The Will of God will never take you...

...Where the love of God cannot enfold you

...Where the mercy of God cannot sustain you

...Where the peace of God cannot calm your fears

...Where the authority of God cannot overrule for you.

The Will of God will never take you...

...Where the comfort of God cannot dry your tears

...Where the Word of God cannot feed you

...Where the miracles of God cannot be done for you

...Where the omnipresence of God cannot find you.

Keep to Jesus

FORGOTTEN BY GOD?

   A pious man who had reached the age of 105 suddenly stopped going to synagogue. Alarmed by the old fellow's absence after so many years of faithful attendance the Rabbi went to see him. He found him in excellent health, so the Rabbi asked, "How come after all these years we don't see you at services anymore?"

     The old man looked around and lowered his voice. "I'll tell you, Rabbi," he whispered. "When I got to be 90, I expected God to take me any day. But then I got to be 95, then 100, then 105. So I figured that God is very busy and must have forgotten about me, and I don't want to remind Him!"

     Two thoughts come to mind:  (1)  We don't need to worry about (or hope for) God getting busy and forgetting about us.  That will never happen!  "For He Himself has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.'" (Hebrews 13:5).

     (2)  We don't go worship so that God won't forget about us; we go so that we won't forget about God!  We need the constant reminder that comes from the encouragement we give one another in our assembly.

     In Psalm 73, the psalmist Asaph expressed the struggle that he had with his faith.  He expected that good things would happen to those who are good and that bad things would happen to those who are evil, but when he looked around, that's not what he saw.  He saw evil people prospering and righteous people suffering.  It seemed that God had forgotten him.  "It was too painful for me -- until I went to the sanctuary of God...It is good for me to draw near to God" (Psalm 73:16-17,28).

     If you think that missing worship will help you to "hide" from God, don't be fooled.  But if you're having trouble seeing God in your life, worship may be the place you need to be to find Him once again!