Friends,
Revival will happen this time, and this is the way: If we pray for each other, even for people we're not comfortable with in the church. As simple as that...
Share with your friends...
Visit www.sse6.blogspot.com for easy Sabbath School Lessons Resources in English and www.ese9.blogspot.com in French
Visit www.sse6.blogspot.com for easy Sabbath School Lessons Resources in English and www.ese9.blogspot.com in French
THIS VIDEO CAN BE SHOWN AT YOUR CHURCHES AS IT IS MORE THAN RELEVANT TO THE LESSONS. BE PATIENT AND WAIT TO UNDERSTAND ALL THE DIFFERENT ASPECTS AND ALL THE CONNECTIONS IN ORDER TO APPRECIATE THE POWER AND THE ATTENTION OF GOD, APART FROM THE EXTRAORDINARY IMAGES.
Click on the video at the bottom right for a totally enlarged screen, and connect the sound to powerful headphones and/or quality speakers. Find a Good Time, Be Amazed and Enjoy the Inspiration...PLEASE SHOW THIS VIDEO AT YOUR CHURCHES ON SABBATH AFTERNOON, BELIEVE ME IT WILL BE A HIT. SURELY IT WILL HAVE A BLESSED EFFECT ON THE SPIRITUALITY OF THE CHURCH. MAY GOD BLESS YOU EVEN MORE AND KEEP YOU IN A FRUITFUL FAITH IN HIM.
Click on the following links and open another tab for these playlists. Listen to sacred music while studying the lesson.
Heritage Singers sing to give glory to God in order to comfort you and strengthen your faith: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgnbF8BcALg&list=PLA6FC3F51B3D3592A
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13U7QmSfmcI&list=PL5362507232EC2F63
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQ8IRymyYVo&list=PL0B2EC328B1EBB04F
Wintley Phipps sings and gives glory to God in order to exhort you and encourage you:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8HffdyLd0c&list=PL1F72C26656C325A9
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMF_24cQqT0&list=PLF6E0F80C111634BB
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVlAPL901Gk&list=PLA7473A1301242907
From www.ssnet.org
http://www.ssnet.org/lessons/13c/helps/lesshp04.html
Lesson & References Index
Lesson 4 – July 20-26
Witness and Service: The Fruit of Revival
(All Bible texts are in the NKJV Bible unless otherwise indicated)Sabbath Afternoon
Memory text: Acts 1:8
8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”In the Sabbath School lesson by Mark Finley, www.ssnet.org
The purpose of revival is to fill our hearts with such a love for Jesus that we long to share this love with every person possible. In genuine revival, our own hearts are wakened to God’s goodness, compassion, forgiveness, and power. We are so charmed by His love and transformed by His grace that we cannot be silent.
In contrast, a “revival” that focuses on one’s “spiritual experience alone” misses the mark. If it develops attitudes critical of others who do not measure up to one’s “standard of holiness,” it is certainly not heaven inspired. If the emphasis of revival is to merely change external behavior rather than to change hearts, then something is wrong.
Changed hearts lead to changed behavior. Genuine revival never leads to self-centeredness or, especially, to self-sufficiency or self-exaltation. Instead, it always leads to a selfless concern for others. When our hearts are renewed by God’s grace, we long to bless and serve those who are in need. All genuine revival leads to a renewed emphasis on mission and service.
In www.cqbiblestudy.org
Introduction A Change of Heart
Matt. 28:19, 20
Sabbath JULY 20
...Revival is a fresh way of looking at something, especially with renewed strength. We experience true revival when we accept Christ as our Savior and when we share Him with others. Yes, revival leads to witnessing and service.Sunday – Christ’s Parting Commission and Promise
Matthew 28:19-20
19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.Mark 16:15
15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.Luke 24:45-49
45 And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.46 Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, 47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 And you are witnesses of these things. 49 Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.”
John 20:21
21 So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”In the Sabbath School lesson by Mark Finley, www.ssnet.org
Christ did not establish His church in order for it to simply care for itself. Jesus’ parting words focused upon the church’s mission. Christ’s intention is for His church to look beyond itself. He established it to share the light of His love and the message of His salvation with the world.
...Once Christ ascended to heaven, His church was to be a visible manifestation of His love and grace to the world. The disciples had a mission. They had a message to share. They had a task to complete. They were to carry on the work that He began.
In www.cqbiblestudy.org
The path of discipleship is full of stumbling blocks that Satan hopes will distract us. However, for Christians who experience spiritual renewal, sharing their testimony with others is one way to defeat him. Words of praise from our own lips are a sure means to render Satan defenseless. “Divine strength is ours; and let us talk courage and strength and faith. Read the third chapter of Ephesians. Practice the instruction given. Bear a living testimony for God under all circumstances.”1 The entire third chapter of Ephesians is full of praise, but especially verses 20 and 21. Such praise “springs readily from the converted heart. . . . At this point the apostle is overwhelmed with a sense of God’s indescribable power and His unlimited love to men.”2
The proclamation of the gospel makes our joy in Christ complete.
Like Paul, when we experience true revival, we are eager to express our joy regarding the transformation occurring in our lives. His example encourages us to testify to others about the One who makes this change possible. When we share with others through words and deeds what Christ has done for us, they, too, will be more likely to choose Him as their Savior. This desire may not be an immediate reaction. But as we continue to witness regularly, as they see us grow in Christ, they also will be encouraged to do so. Conversely, Christians who complain and generally seem to be unhappy can turn people away from the Savior. They will be quick to ask, “What good is Christianity if it cannot help us to rise above that which troubles us?”
The other apostles also gave their personal testimonies concerning Christ and the gospel. What followed was the planting of new churches. John wrote the following in his instructions to the early church: “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life” (1 John 1:1, NIV). In essence, the proclamation of the gospel makes our joy in Christ complete.
REACT
Think about how you live and what you say about God. Do you think your words and actions make Christ attractive? Or do they keep people from seeing Christ in you?
1. Ellen G. White, Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, p. 391.
2. The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, 1st ed., vol. 6, p. 1018.
Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, pp. 9-11.
God's Purpose for His Church
The church is God's appointed agency for the salvation of men. It was organized for service, and its mission is to carry the gospel to the world. From the beginning it has been God's plan that through His church shall be reflected to the world His fullness and His sufficiency. The members of the church, those whom He has called out of darkness into His marvelous light, are to show forth His glory. The church is the repository of the riches of the grace of Christ; and through the church will eventually be made manifest, even to "the principalities and powers in heavenly places," the final and full display of the love of God. Ephesians 3:10.Many and wonderful are the promises recorded in the Scriptures regarding the church. "Mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people." Isaiah 56:7. "I will make them and the places round about My hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in his season; there shall be showers of blessing." "And I will raise up for them a plant of renown, and they shall be no more consumed with hunger in the land, neither bear the shame of the heathen any more. Thus shall they know that I the Lord their God am with them, and that they, even the house of Israel, are My people, saith the Lord God. And ye My flock, the flock of My pasture, are men, and I am your God, saith the Lord God." Ezekiel 34:26, 29-31.
"Ye are My witnesses, saith the Lord, and My servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe Me, and understand that I am He: before Me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after Me. I, even I, am the Lord; and beside Me there is no Saviour. I have declared, and have saved, and I have showed, when there was no strange god among you: therefore ye are My witnesses." "I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles; to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house." Isaiah 43:10-12; 42:6, 7.
"In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee: and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages; that thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Show yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places. They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for He that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall He guide them. And I will make all My mountains a way, and My highways shall be exalted. . . . . .
Timothy 2:4
4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.2 Peter 3:9
9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.Monday – Receiving the Promise
Read Acts 2
Matthew 4:19
19 Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”In the Sabbath School lesson by Mark Finley, www.ssnet.org
The mission of sharing His love and truth with the entire world must have seemed overwhelming to this small group of disciples. The challenge was enormous, the task immense. Its accomplishment in their lifetime might certainly have seemed impossible (as it can in ours). The best estimates are that the population of the Roman Empire in the first century was approximately sixty to seventy million. According to the first chapter of Acts, one 120 believers met in the upper room on the day of Pentecost. This is a ratio of 1 Christian to approximately every 500,000 to 580,000 people in the empire. From a human standpoint, Jesus’ command to preach the gospel to the world seemed unthinkable.
Pliny the Younger, governor of the Roman province of Bithynia on the northern coast of modern Turkey, wrote to Emperor Trajan around A.D. 110. Pliny described the official trials he was conducting to find and execute Christians. “Many of every age, of every social class, even of both sexes, are being called to trial and will be called. Not cities alone but villages in even rural areas have been invaded by the infection of this superstition” (Christianity).
This quote is remarkable. It reveals that in a few generations Christianity had invaded nearly every level of society even in the remote provinces.
Ninety years later, around A.D. 200, Tertullian, a Roman lawyer turned Christian, wrote a defiant letter to the Roman magistrates defending Christianity. He boasted that “nearly all the citizens of all the cities are Christians.”
The story of the book of Acts is the story of a revived church committed to witness for its Lord. Spiritual revival always leads to passionate witness. Sharing is the natural outgrowth of a transformed life. Jesus said to His disciples, “ ‘Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men’ ” (Matt. 4:19). The closer we follow Jesus, the more we care about what He cares about. If we have little interest in sharing His love with others, it may be because we are following Him at a distance and need a personal spiritual revival.
In www.cqbiblestudy.org
Logos Witness and Service
Matt. 25:31–46; John 6:1–11; Acts 2; 8
Monday JULY 22
The Final Judgment (Matt. 25:31–46)God expects us to look beyond our personal interests in order to share the good news with others who do not know Him because witnessing should be accomplished through acts of service as often as possible. Christ teaches us in Matthew 25:31–46 exactly how witnessing and service go together.
Yet many people are often reluctant to help people in need. For example, they think that if people wouldn’t spend money on alcohol and tobacco, they would have more money for items they really need. However, in the parable of the sheep and the goats, Jesus teaches us to help others unconditionally. (Of course, in the process of helping to meet people’s needs, it is good if we can help them break their bad habits.) Whatever we do to satisfy the spiritual and physical needs of our fellow humans will be viewed as having done it to Christ Himself. Furthermore, helping others or not helping them determines our place in the judgment.
Christ does not leave us alone as we walk the path of witnessing and service.
“The best evidence that a person has become a son of God is that he does the works of God.”1
Receiving the Helper (Acts 2)
Christ does not leave us alone as we walk the path of witnessing and service. He is involved with us every step of the way. Therefore, as we witness and engage in acts of service, let us remember that His Holy Spirit sustains us.
On the Day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came upon the apostles in a most powerful way. Thus they were able to remain united and were powerfully enabled to witness for Christ. As a result, it is reported that on one day alone, they baptized approximately 3,000 people (Acts 2:41).
We cannot effectively witness and engage in Christian service without the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, our Helper and Guide. However, we must remember that the “indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the Christian is not a permanent possession, acquired once and for all at the time of the new birth. On the contrary, it must be a permanent process, daily renewed (1 Cor. 9:27) in further and deeper surrender to the Spirit’s promptings.”2
Branching Out in Faith (John 6:1–11)
Can you imagine the faith it must have taken for the disciples to follow Christ’s instructions so that 5,000 men, plus women and children, could partake of five loaves and two fish? The disciples were instructed to carry out their activities in faith, bearing in mind that they were acting on behalf of Christ, the Pioneer of faith. “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see” (Heb. 11:1, NIV).
“Faith is not abstract belief that evidence exists, but a settled assurance, based on confidence that God will fulfill His promises.”3 Faith makes us strong by helping us to grow in Christ. Faith gives us strength to witness and to serve in His name.
Continuing in His Footsteps (Acts 8)
Continuity in spreading the gospel after Christ’s ascension was of immense importance both to the disciples and to Christ Himself. Because of the wave of persecution that followed after Jesus returned to heaven, many Christians were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. Even the apostles were not spared. However, it is crucial to note that amid the turmoil, the apostles remained united in spirit, and they continued witnessing in faith. Philip, Peter, and John traversed various parts of Samaria, proclaiming Christ while healing the sick and driving out demons.
We also experience challenges as we witness for Christ and serve others. Therefore, it is important for us to remain united in Him and to ask for the presence of His Holy Spirit. We cannot function without His presence, for the “story of Pentecost underlines the fact that the church is not a human creation, but owes its existence to the power of God.
“The church, then, is a kind of community which human beings cannot produce. What happens among members of the church, the spirit of fellowship which they enjoy, is something only the unique presence of God can explain.”4
REACT
1. Based on today’s lesson, do you think you live a Spirit-filled life? Why or why not?
2. What are some of the little things in which we need to have faith as we witness in our everyday life? How can faith in these areas of life help us to have faith in bigger matters?
3. Among church members today, there are many socio-economic, geographical, and cultural differences. So what really unites us in Christ?
1. The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, 2nd ed., vol. 5, (Hagerstown, Md.: Review and Herald®, 1980), p. 512.
2. Handbook of Seventh-day Adventist Theology (Hagerstown, Md.: Review and Herald®, 2000), p. 136.
3. The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, 2nd ed., vol. 7, (Hagerstown, Md.: Review and Herald®, 1980), p. 471.
4. Richard Rice, The Reign of God, 2nd ed. (Berrien Springs, Mich.: Andrews University Press, 2009), p. 209.
Tuesday - The Power of Personal Testimony
Acts 22:1-14
1 “Brethren and fathers, hear my defense before you now.” 2 And when they heard that he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, they kept all the more silent.Then he said: 3 “I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, taught according to the strictness of our fathers’ law, and was zealous toward God as you all are today. 4 I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women, 5 as also the high priest bears me witness, and all the council of the elders, from whom I also received letters to the brethren, and went to Damascus to bring in chains even those who were there to Jerusalem to be punished.
6 “Now it happened, as I journeyed and came near Damascus at about noon, suddenly a great light from heaven shone around me. 7 And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’ 8 So I answered, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.’
9 “And those who were with me indeed saw the light and were afraid, but they did not hear the voice of Him who spoke to me. 10 So I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Arise and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all things which are appointed for you to do.’ 11 And since I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of those who were with me, I came into Damascus.
12 “Then a certain Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good testimony with all the Jews who dwelt there, 13 came to me; and he stood and said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight.’ And at that same hour I looked up at him. 14 Then he said, ‘The God of our fathers has chosen you that you should know His will, and see the Just One, and hear the voice of His mouth.
Philippians 3:1-7
1 Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe.2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation! 3 For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh, 4 though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: 5 circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee;6 concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.
1 John 1:1-4
1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life— 2 the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us— 3 that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. 4 And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.In the Sabbath School Lesson by Mark Finley, www.ssnet.org
...The power of New Testament witnessing was rooted in the genuineness of lives changed by the gospel...An encounter with the living Christ had changed them, and they could not be silent any longer.
At Pentecost the disciples were changed people. Something happened to them so that the Spirit could do something through them. The Holy Spirit had done something for them so that He could do something with them. The Spirit overflowed from their lives to refresh the lives of others.
Jesus put it this way: “‘He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water’” (John 7:38, NKJV). The root word for “believes” in the Greek here is pistis . It means much more than a superficial belief or mere intellectual assent. It is a rock-solid belief or confident trust. It is a dynamic, life-transforming faith in Christ, who poured out His life on the cross for the sins of humanity. Jesus’ point is that when His love quenches our spiritual thirst, this love flows from our hearts to the people around us.
“Our confession of His faithfulness is Heaven’s chosen agency for revealing Christ to the world. We are to acknowledge His grace as made known through the holy men of old; but that which will be most effectual is the testimony of our own experience. We are witnesses for God as we reveal in ourselves the working of a power that is divine.”-Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 347.
The most powerful witness is one of a Christian who knows Jesus personally. There is no substitute for the testimony that springs naturally from a heart immersed in Jesus’ love.
What kind of personal testimony do you have that tells of what the Lord has done for you? How can you learn to share it better with others?
Testimony Witnessing Begins at Home
Mark 16:5
Tuesday JULY 23
The parting commission and promise that Christ gave to His disciples just before His ascension was for all Christians throughout all of time. Ellen White wrote the following about this occasion:“This was the only interview that Jesus had with many of the believers after His resurrection. He came and spoke to them saying, ‘All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth. . . .’
“It is a fatal mistake to suppose that the work of saving souls depends alone on the ordained minister.”
“Before leaving His disciples, Christ plainly stated the nature of His kingdom. He called to their minds what He had previously told them concerning it. He declared that it was not His purpose to establish in this world a temporal, but a spiritual kingdom.”1
“Christ commissioned His disciples to do the work He had left in their hands, beginning at Jerusalem. Jerusalem had been the scene of His amazing condescension for the human race. There He had suffered, been rejected and condemned. The land of Judea was His birthplace. There, clad in the garb of humanity, He had walked with men, and few had discerned how near heaven came to the earth when Jesus was among them. At Jerusalem the work of the disciples must begin.”2
“The Saviour’s commission to the disciples included all the believers. It includes all believers in Christ to the end of time. It is a fatal mistake to suppose that the work of saving souls depends alone on the ordained minister. All to whom the heavenly inspiration has come are put in trust with the gospel. All who receive the life of Christ are ordained to work for the salvation of their fellow men. For this work the church was established, and all who take upon themselves its sacred vows are thereby pledged to be co-workers with Christ.”3
REACT
How can we overcome the challenges of witnessing and service in hostile environments?
1. Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, pp. 819, 820.
2. Ibid., p. 820.
3. Ibid., p. 822.
Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 346-8.
Looking toward the woman, Jesus insisted on knowing who had touched Him. Finding concealment vain, she came forward tremblingly, and cast herself at His feet. With grateful tears she told the story of her suffering, and how she had found relief. Jesus gently said, "Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace." He gave no opportunity for superstition to claim healing virtue for the mere act of touching His garments. It was not through the outward contact with Him, but through the faith which took hold on His divine power, that the cure was wrought.The wondering crowd that pressed close about Christ realized no accession of vital power. But when the suffering woman put forth her hand to touch Him, believing that she would be made whole, she felt the healing virtue. So in spiritual things. To talk of religion in a casual way, to pray without soul hunger and living faith, avails nothing. A nominal faith in Christ, which accepts Him merely as the Saviour of the world, can never bring healing to the soul. The faith that is unto salvation is not a mere intellectual assent to the truth. He who waits for entire knowledge before he will exercise faith, cannot receive blessing from God. It is not enough to believe about Christ; we must believe in Him. The only faith that will benefit us is that which embraces Him as a personal Saviour; which appropriates His merits to ourselves. Many hold faith as an opinion. Saving faith is a transaction by which those who receive Christ join themselves in covenant relation with God. Genuine faith is life. A living faith means an increase of vigor, a confiding trust, by which the soul becomes a conquering power.
After healing the woman, Jesus desired her to acknowledge the blessing she had received. The gifts which the gospel offers are not to be secured by stealth or enjoyed in secret. So the Lord calls upon us for confession of His goodness. "Ye are My witnesses, saith the Lord, that I am God." Isa. 43:12.
Our confession of His faithfulness is Heaven's chosen agency for revealing Christ to the world. We are to acknowledge His grace as made known through the holy men of old; but that which will be most effectual is the testimony of our own experience. We are witnesses for God as we reveal in ourselves the working of a power that is divine. Every individual has a life distinct from all others, and an experience differing essentially from theirs. God desires that our praise shall ascend to Him, marked by our own individuality. These precious acknowledgments to the praise of the glory of His grace, when supported by a Christ-like life, have an irresistible power that works for the salvation of souls.
When the ten lepers came to Jesus for healing, He bade them go and show themselves to the priest. On the way they were cleansed, but only one of them returned to give Him glory. The others went their way, forgetting Him who had made them whole. How many are still doing the same thing! The Lord works continually to benefit mankind. He is ever imparting His bounties. He raises up the sick from beds of languishing, He delivers men from peril which they do not see, He commissions heavenly angels to save them from calamity, to guard them from "the pestilence that walketh in darkness" and "the destruction that wasteth at noonday" (Ps. 91:6); but their hearts are unimpressed. He has given all the riches of heaven to redeem them, and yet they are unmindful of His great love.
By their ingratitude they close their hearts against the grace of God. Like the heath in the desert they know not when good cometh, and their souls inhabit the parched places of the wilderness.
It is for our own benefit to keep every gift of God fresh in our memory. Thus faith is strengthened to claim and to receive more and more. There is greater encouragement for us in the least blessing we ourselves receive from God than in all the accounts we can read of the faith and experience of others. The soul that responds to the grace of God shall be like a watered garden. His health shall spring forth speedily; his light shall rise in obscurity, and the glory of the Lord shall be seen upon him. Let us then remember the loving-kindness of the Lord, and the multitude of His tender mercies. Like the people of Israel, let us set up our stones of witness, and inscribe upon them the precious story of what God has wrought for us. And as we review His dealings with us in our pilgrimage, let us, out of hearts melted with gratitude, declare, "What shall I render unto the Lord for all His benefits toward me? I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord. I will pay my vows unto the Lord now in the presence of all His people." Ps. 116:12-14.
John 7:38
38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”Wednesday - A Witnessing Faith Is a Growing Faith
Acts 20:35
35 I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”John 6:1-11
1 After these things Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. 2 Then a great multitude followed Him, because they saw His signs which He performed on those who were diseased. 3 And Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat with His disciples.4 Now the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was near. 5 Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?” 6 But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do.
7 Philip answered Him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little.”
8 One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him, 9 “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?”
10 Then Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. 11 And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted.
In the Sabbath School lesson by Mark Finley, www.ssnet.org
...When we neglect exercise, our immune system is compromised, and we become more susceptible to disease.
...Something similar happens to us spiritually when we do not exercise our faith through witnessing. The words of Jesus, that “‘“it is more blessed to give than to receive”’” (Acts 20:35), work themselves out in our own spiritual lives. When we share God’s Word with others, we grow spiritually. The more we love Jesus, the more we will desire to witness of His love. The more we witness of His love, the more we will love Him. Sharing our faith strengthens our faith.
The more that we give away our faith, the more our faith multiplies. This law of multiplication is a divine principle of spiritual life. Give and grow, or withhold and wither. Jesus increases our faith as we share it with others, even if our faith is quite small. As we share Jesus (the Bread of Life) with spiritually hungry people around us, it multiplies in our hands, and we end up with more than we started.
When Jesus began, He had five loaves and two fish. After five thousand people were completely satisfied with their meal that day, Jesus had more left over than when He started. There were still twelve baskets remaining.
Jesus’ instructions to His New Testament church are too clear to be misunderstood. He declared, “‘Freely you have received, freely give’” (Matt. 10:8, NKJV). Witnessing is the gentle breeze that fans the sparks of revival into Pentecostal flames. When witness and service do not accompany a revival of prayer and Bible study, the flames of revival are extinguished, and the embers soon grow cold.
It’s true, isn’t it? The more that we witness, the more our faith grows. What has been your own experience with this crucial spiritual truth?
Indeed, in order for our faith to grow, witnessing and service must go hand in hand. Our own personality, our strengths and weaknesses, and our own tolerance for the risks involved will determine how well we will do when life becomes difficult. This is why individuals need to put in place, with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, measures that help to rebrand themselves as Christians. The following points are helpful if prayerfully applied.
We should have the courage to stick to our Christian values.
Personal assessment and authenticity. Do a self-assessment to know who you are and what talents you have that will help you to be a good witness and servant for Christ’s cause. Identify your strengths and create a plan to address your weaknesses.
Know what you believe and, with the Holy Spirit’s help, live accordingly. The Bible teaches us what to believe and whom to depend upon to help us do the right things. Regardless of trials and temptations that befall us while we are witnessing, we should have the courage to stick to our Christian values.
Be consistent, dependable, and sincere. Dr. Martin Luther King said, “If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michel angelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that the hosts of heaven and earth will pause and say, ‘Here lived a great sweeper who did his job well.’ ”* We want to be the best we can be, and give Christ our best as we witness for Him.
Thursday – Revival, Witnessing, and Divine Intervention
Acts 5:42
42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.Acts 8:4
4 Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word.Acts 8:26-38
26 Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is desert. 27 So he arose and went. And behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasury, and had come to Jerusalem to worship,28 was returning. And sitting in his chariot, he was reading Isaiah the prophet. 29 Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go near and overtake this chariot.”30 So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?”
31 And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 The place in the Scripture which he read was this:
“He was led as a sheep to the slaughter;
And as a lamb before its shearer is silent,
So He opened not His mouth.
33 In His humiliation His justice was taken away,
And who will declare His generation?
For His life is taken from the earth.”
34 So the eunuch answered Philip and said, “I ask you, of whom does the prophet say this, of himself or of some other man?” 35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him. 36 Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, “See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?”
37 Then Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.”
And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”
38 So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him.
In the Sabbath School lesson by Mark Finley, www.ssnet.org
The thrilling story of the rapid growth of New Testament Christianity in Acts is the story of a revived church witnessing of Jesus’ love. It is the story of a church that regularly experienced divine intervention. Witnessing was a way of life for these early believers.
“And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ” (Acts 5:42, NKJV). Persecution even furthered the cause of the gospel. When persecution scattered the members of the church at Jerusalem, they “went everywhere preaching the word” (Acts 8:4, NKJV).
One of the more remarkable examples of divine intervention in Acts is the story of Philip and an Ethiopian government official.
Read the story of Philip instructing the Ethiopian and his response in Acts 8:26-38. What can we take from this story about revival and witnessing?
“An angel guided Philip to the one who was seeking for light and who was ready to receive the gospel, and today angels will guide the footsteps of those workers who will allow the Holy Spirit to sanctify their tongues and refine and ennoble their hearts. The angel sent to Philip could himself have done the work for the Ethiopian, but this is not God’s way of working. It is His plan that men are to work for their fellow men.”-Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 109.
There are three essential elements in revival, and they are prayer, the study of God’s Word, and witness. When God’s people seek Him in earnest, heartfelt intercession, and when they saturate their minds with the truths of His Word, and when they passionately witness of His love and truth to others-God divinely intervenes and opens unusual doors for the proclamation of truth.
Be honest with yourself: what do you do when witnessing opportunities come? Do you witness, or do you find some excuse not to? What does your answer tell you about your own need of revival and reformation?
In www.cqbiblestudyorg
Opinion On Judgment Day
Matt. 25:34–36
Thursday JULY 25
As I stepped into the city-bound train to report to my office, something caught me by surprise. A young woman was leading the entire coach in a series of choruses that praised the Lord. Next, a young man read Bible texts; then another one gave an encouraging short sermon. Later I learned that these three people do this every weekday morning. I personally found the experience to be quite rejuvenating. I could tell from the faces of the other people that they also enjoyed it. Instead of talking about the world’s wars, politics, business, or work, this group devoted time to share spiritual good news. Later I learned that people actually choose to ride in this particular car of the train because they find the three people’s witness so beneficial.
“Christian life is never meant to be a life within the circle of the self.”
This experience reminds me that we are all Christ’s ambassadors and should therefore participate in advancing His cause. We can witness anytime, anywhere, in a number of different ways. God will always provide us with opportunities and resources to make this possible. In our places of work, institutions of learning, communities, and within our own families, practical mission and service should be part of our daily lives.
A precursor to practical mission service is worship, study, and fellowship.1 “Christian life is never meant to be a life within the circle of the self, but always to be poured out in service and witness to others. The Great Commission of Matthew 28 charges the Christian to be mature enough to take the gospel of forgiveness to the world around in order that all may know the redemptive grace of God. The sign of the life of the Spirit and Christian growth is a life of ever-expanding witness.”2
This coming week, be a witness wherever you are, whatever you do. With the little acts of kindness and service, you can help to change the world.
REACT
1. What are some ways you can personally witness?
2. How does the Holy Spirit help us in our witnessing efforts?
Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 108-111.
"And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing. But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea."This Ethiopian represented a large class who need to be taught by such missionaries as Philip--men who will hear the voice of God and go where He sends them. There are many who are reading the Scriptures who cannot understand their true import. All over the world men and women are looking wistfully to heaven. Prayers and tears and inquiries go up from souls longing for light, for grace, for the Holy Spirit. Many are on the verge of the kingdom, waiting only to be gathered in.
An angel guided Philip to the one who was seeking for light and who was ready to receive the gospel, and today angels will guide the footsteps of those workers who will allow the Holy Spirit to sanctify their tongues and refine and ennoble their hearts. The angel sent to Philip could himself have done the work for the Ethiopian, but this is not God's way of working. It is His plan that men are to work for their fellow men.
In the trust given to the first disciples, believers in every age have shared. Everyone who has received the gospel has been given sacred truth to impart to the world. God's faithful people have always been aggressive missionaries, consecrating their resources to the honor of His name and wisely using their talents in His service.
The unselfish labor of Christians in the past should be to us an object lesson and an inspiration. The members of God's church are to be zealous of good works, separating from worldly ambition and walking in the footsteps of Him who went about doing good. With hearts filled with sympathy and compassion, they are to minister to those in need of help, bringing to sinners a knowledge of the Saviour's love. Such work calls for laborious effort, but it brings a rich reward. Those who engage in it with sincerity of purpose will see souls won to the Saviour, for the influence that attends the practical carrying out of the divine commission is irresistible.
Not upon the ordained minister only rests the responsibility of going forth to fulfill this commission. Everyone who has received Christ is called to work for the salvation of his fellow men. "The Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come." Revelation 22:17. The charge to give this invitation includes the entire church. Everyone who has heard the invitation is to echo the message from hill and valley, saying, "Come."
It is fatal mistake to suppose that the work of soul-saving depends alone upon the ministry. The humble, consecrated believer upon whom the Master of the vineyard places a burden for souls is to be given encouragement by the men upon whom the Lord has laid larger responsibilities. Those who stand as leaders in the church of God are to realize that the Saviour's commission is given to all who believe in His name. God will send forth into His vineyard many who have not been dedicated to the ministry by the laying on of hands.
Hundreds, yea, thousands, who have heard the message of salvation are still idlers in the market place, when they might be engaged in some line of active service. To these Christ is saying, "Why stand ye here all the day idle?" and He adds, "Go ye also into the vineyard." Matthew 20:6, 7. Why is it that many more do not respond to the call? Is it because they think themselves excused in that they do not stand in the pulpit? Let them understand that there is a large work to be done outside the pulpit by thousands of consecrated lay members.
Friday – Futher Study
From the Sabbath School lesson by Mark Finley, www.ssnet.org
“In His wisdom the Lord brings those who are seeking for truth into touch with fellow beings who know the truth. It is the plan of Heaven that those who have received light shall impart it to those in darkness. Humanity, drawing its efficiency from the great Source of wisdom, is made the instrumentality, the working agency, through which the gospel exercises its transforming power on mind and heart.”-Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 134.
“God could have reached His object in saving sinners without our aid; but in order for us to develop a character like Christ’s, we must share in His work. In order to enter into His joy,-the joy of seeing souls redeemed by His sacrifice,-we must participate in His labors for their redemption.”-Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 142.
Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, pp. 132-135.
It was while Peter was still at Joppa that he was called by God to take the gospel to Cornelius, in Caesarea.Cornelius was a Roman centurion. He was a man of wealth and noble birth, and his position was one of trust and honor. A heathen by birth, training, and education, through contact with the Jews he had gained a knowledge of God, and he worshiped Him with a true heart, showing the sincerity of his faith by compassion to the poor. He was known far and near for his beneficence, and his righteous life made him of good repute among both Jews and Gentiles.
His influence was a blessing to all with whom he came in contact. The inspired record describes him as "a devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway."
Believing in God as the Creator of heaven and earth, Cornelius revered Him, acknowledged His authority, and sought His counsel in all the affairs of life. He was faithful to Jehovah in his home life and in his official duties. He had erected the altar of God in his home, for he dared not attempt to carry out his plans or to bear his responsibilities without the help of God.
Though Cornelius believed the prophecies and was looking for the Messiah to come, he had not a knowledge of the gospel as revealed in the life and death of Christ. He was not a member of the Jewish church and would have been looked upon by the rabbis as a heathen and unclean. But the same Holy Watcher who said of Abraham, "I know him," knew Cornelius also, and sent a message direct from heaven to him.
The angel appeared to Cornelius while he was at prayer. As the centurion heard himself addressed by name, he was afraid, yet he knew that the messenger had come from God, and he said, "What is it, Lord?" The angel answered, "Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God. And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter: he lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the seaside."
The explicitness of these directions, in which was named even the occupation of the man with whom Peter was staying, shows that Heaven is acquainted with the history and business of men in every station of life. God is familiar with the experience and work of the humble laborer, as well as with that of the king upon his throne.
"Send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon." Thus God gave evidence of His regard for the gospel ministry and for His organized church. The angel was not commissioned to tell Cornelius the story of the cross. A man subject, even as the centurion himself, to human frailties and temptations, was to be the one to tell him of the crucified and risen Saviour.
As His representatives among men, God does not choose angels who have never fallen, but human beings, men of like passions with those they seek to save. Christ took humanity that He might reach humanity. A divine-human Saviour was needed to bring salvation to the world. And to men and women has been committed the sacred trust of making known "the unsearchable riches of Christ." Ephesians 3:8.
In His wisdom the Lord brings those who are seeking for truth into touch with fellow beings who know the truth. It is the plan of Heaven that those who have received light shall impart it to those in darkness. Humanity, drawing its efficiency from the great Source of wisdom, is made the instrumentality, the working agency, through which the gospel exercises its transforming power on mind and heart.
Cornelius was gladly obedient to the vision. When the angel had gone, the centurion "called two of his household servants, and a devout soldier of them that waited on him continually; and when he had declared all these things unto them, he sent them to Joppa.
Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages , pp. 141-143.
All who are consecrated to God will be channels of light. God makes them His agents to communicate to others the riches of His grace. His promise is, "I will make them and the places round about My hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in his season; there shall be showers of blessing." Ezek. 34:26.Philip said to Nathanael, "Come and see." He did not ask him to accept another's testimony, but to behold Christ for himself. Now that Jesus has ascended to heaven, His disciples are His representatives among men, and one of the most effective ways of winning souls to Him is in exemplifying His character in our daily life. Our influence upon others depends not so much upon what we say as upon what we are. Men may combat and defy our logic, they may resist our appeals; but a life of disinterested love is an argument they cannot gainsay. A consistent life, characterized by the meekness of Christ, is a power in the world.
The teaching of Christ was the expression of an inwrought conviction and experience, and those who learn of Him become teachers after the divine order. The word of God, spoken by one who is himself sanctified through it, has a life-giving power that makes it attractive to the hearers, and convicts them that it is a living reality. When one has received the truth in the love of it, he will make this manifest in the persuasion of his manner and the tones of his voice. He makes known that which he himself has heard, seen, and handled of the word of life, that others may have fellowship with him through the knowledge of Christ. His testimony, from lips touched with a live coal from off the altar, is truth to the receptive heart, and works sanctification upon the character.
And he who seeks to give light to others will himself be blessed. "There shall be showers of blessing." "He that watereth shall be watered also himself." Prov. 11:25. God could have reached His object in saving sinners without our aid; but in order for us to develop a character like Christ's, we must share in His work. In order to enter into His joy,--the joy of seeing souls redeemed by His sacrifice,--we must participate in His labors for their redemption.
Nathanael's first expression of his faith, so full and earnest and sincere, fell like music on the ears of Jesus. And He "answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these." The Saviour looked forward with joy to His work in preaching good tidings to the meek, binding up the brokenhearted, and proclaiming liberty to the captives of Satan. At thought of the precious blessings He had brought to men, Jesus added, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man."
Here Christ virtually says, On the bank of the Jordan the heavens were opened, and the Spirit descended like a dove upon Me. That scene was but a token that I am the Son of God. If you believe on Me as such, your faith shall be quickened. You shall see that the heavens are opened, and are never to be closed. I have opened them to you. The angels of God are ascending, bearing the prayers of the needy and distressed to the Father above, and descending, bringing blessing and hope, courage, help, and life, to the children of men.
The angels of God are ever passing from earth to heaven, and from heaven to earth. The miracles of Christ for the afflicted and suffering were wrought by the power of God through the ministration of the angels. And it is through Christ, by the ministration of His heavenly messengers, that every blessing comes from God to us. In taking upon Himself humanity, our Saviour unites His interests with those of the fallen sons and daughters of Adam, while through His divinity He grasps the throne of God. And thus Christ is the medium of communication of men with God, and of God with men.
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