In the Bible, the Old Testament speaks about the people of Israel. In it we find the experiences of an insignificant nation (Deut. 7:7), but chosen by God to be a special people (Deut. 7:6). God prescribed special encounters for His people; this is why the Israelites gathered at least three times a year to worship and share God’s blessings. Today, the New Jersey Conference also has a special time of year when brothers, sisters and friends come to worship together as one big family.
Go. Tell. Serve. Three words, simple and straightforward. Yet when they are lived out in the name of the Lord, the impact is both profound and eternal.
For Seventh-day Adventists, adherence to God’s Word is also a core fundamental belief: “The Holy Scriptures are the supreme, authoritative, and the infallible revelation of God’s will."
The apostle Paul says in Romans 1:16, “I am not ashamed of the gospel: for it is the power of God unto salvation” (KJV). The word “salvation” in this text comes from the Greek word “sozo,” which also means “healing” or “made whole.” Only the good news of Jesus can bring everlasting wholeness and healing!
All you have to do is look at the list of disciples Jesus picked to know He had a mess on His hands. If we look at our church today, we might think Jesus still has a mess on His hands. Notwithstanding, God knows what He is doing.
At age 84, just after my mother learned that I was expecting her first grandchild, my mother, who'd never been ill or hospitalized in her vegetarian life, turned up with pancreatic cancer.
The Christian church exists today because early believers boldly shared their faith. Boldness is so essential to mission that the disciples specifically prayed for it.
So many details went into creating each one of us! I think of what it must be like for God when He creates each human being. I imagine Him as an artist creating a masterpiece, carefully selecting each detail that will make us who we are, like no other.
Between the increasingly common natural disasters, mass shootings, sexual misconduct of those in public office, the opioid epidemic, accidents and disturbing social and political issues, it seems like every day is a struggle to survive. But the good news is that we can.
