Friends,
Revival will happen this time, and this is the way: If we ask God to give us His Holy Spirit and pray for each other, even for people we're not comfortable with in the church, and pray for our enemies. This is one of the things that God won't refuse. We don't have to be worried about asking God if this is His will, as this is always His will. As simple as that...
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SPIRITUAL POWERS
Visit www.sse6.blogspot.com for easy Sabbath School Lessons Resources in English and www.ese9.blogspot.com in French
SPIRITUAL POWERS
2 Corinthians 10:4-5 (NIV)4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have DIVINE POWER to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
Ephesians 6:12 (NIV) For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
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 and
http://www.ssnet.org/lessons/13c/helps/lesshp11.html
Lesson& References Index
Lesson 11 – September 7 – September 13
Reformation: Thinking New Thoughts
(All Bible texts are in the NKJV Bible unless otherwise indicated)Sabbath Afternoon
Memory text: Colossians 3:1-2
1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.From the Sabbath School by Mark Finley, www.ssnet.org
...The mind is the measure of a man, and reformation is about our minds. If we have a reformation in our thinking, we will have a reformation in our actions. Reformation occurs as the Holy Spirit brings our thoughts into harmony with Christ’s thoughts. When that happens, our actions will follow.
From www.cqbiblestudy.org
...When we become Christians, we experience a change of mind that naturally results in a change of attitudes and actions. As heaven-bound citizens, we no longer desire to follow old thoughts and do the things we used to do. Instead, we think and do in ways that are consistent with God’s values.
When we accept Christ as our Savior, our thoughts, words, and actions will testify of Him. Before we accept Christ, we talk and act like a child, but as we grow up in Him, we put away childish things (1 Cor. 13:11). Such growth and its relationship to reformation is the subject of our study this week.
Introduction The Change We Want
1 Cor. 13:11
Sabbath SEPTEMBER 7
Sunday – The Mind Matters
2 Corinthians 5:17
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.Colossians 3:2
2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.2 Corinthians 3:17-18
17 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.From the Sabbath School lesson by Mark Finley, www.ssnet.org
Our thoughts will ultimately dictate our behavior. The way that we think influences the way that we act. The converse is also true. Repeated actions influence our thoughts. The Christian is a “new creation.” Old thinking patterns have been replaced by new ones (2 Cor. 5:17).
When a sailboat embarks on its seaward journey, the sails are set. The set sails give the boat its direction. Throughout the journey, the sails need to be reset in order to maintain the correct course. If the sails are neglected, the boat will veer off course very quickly. Like those sails, our thoughts give direction to our spiritual lives. When the apostle Paul admonishes Christians to “set your mind on things above” (Col. 3:2, NKJV), he is urging us to focus our thoughts heavenward. Our minds are shaped by what we put into them. Our thoughts are molded by what we spend our time dwelling upon.
What miracle of grace takes place in our own lives as we behold God’s glory in His Word? 2 Cor. 3:17-18.
Reformation is all about looking to Jesus. It is about Jesus filling our minds. It is about Jesus shaping our thoughts. It is about Jesus guiding our actions. When we behold Jesus, He will lead us to higher standards than mere rigidity to rules. We cannot really look to Jesus and remain the same. When we think His thoughts, we have only one desire, and that is, to do His will.
What counsel would you give to a person struggling to make Jesus a priority in his or her thinking process? What does the Bible mean when it talks about “beholding” or “looking to Jesus”?
Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, pp. 553-556.
The prince of darkness, who has so long bent the powers of his mastermind to the work of deception, skillfully adapts his temptations to men of all classes and conditions. To persons of culture and refinement he presents spiritualism in its more refined and intellectual aspects, and thus succeeds in drawing many into his snare. The wisdom which spiritualism imparts is that described by the apostle James, which "descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish." James 3:15. This, however, the great deceiver conceals when concealment will best suit his purpose. He who could appear clothed with the brightness of the heavenly seraphs before Christ in the wilderness of temptation, comes to men in the most attractive manner as an angel of light. He appeals to the reason by the presentation of elevating themes; he delights the fancy with enrapturing scenes; and he enlists the affections by his eloquent portrayals of love and charity. He excites the imagination to lofty flights, leading men to take so great pride in their own wisdom that in their hearts they despise the Eternal One. That mighty being who could take the world's Redeemer to an exceedingly high mountain and bring before Him all the kingdoms of the earth and the glory of them, will present his temptations to men in a manner to pervert the senses of all who are not shielded by divine power.Satan beguiles men now as he beguiled Eve in Eden by flattery, by kindling a desire to obtain forbidden knowledge, by exciting ambition for self-exaltation. It was cherishing these evils that caused his fall, and through them he aims to compass the ruin of men. "Ye shall be as gods," he declares, "knowing good and evil." Genesis 3:5. Spiritualism teaches "that man is the creature of progression; that it is his destiny from his birth to progress, even to eternity, toward the Godhead." And again: "Each mind will judge itself and not another." "The judgment will be right, because it is the judgment of self. . . . The throne is within you." Said a spiritualistic teacher, as the "spiritual consciousness" awoke within him: "My fellow men, all were unfallen demigods." And another declares: "Any just and perfect being is Christ."
Thus, in place of the righteousness and perfection of the infinite God, the true object of adoration; in place of the perfect righteousness of His law, the true standard of human attainment, Satan has substituted the sinful, erring nature of man himself as the only object of adoration, the only rule of judgment, or standard of character. This is progress, not upward, but downward.
It is a law both of the intellectual and the spiritual nature that by beholding we become changed. The mind gradually adapts itself to the subjects upon which it is allowed to dwell. It becomes assimilated to that which it is accustomed to love and reverence. Man will never rise higher than his standard of purity or goodness or truth. If self is his loftiest ideal, he will never attain to anything more exalted. Rather, he will constantly sink lower and lower. The grace of God alone has power to exalt man. Left to himself, his course must inevitably be downward.
To the self-indulgent, the pleasure-loving, the sensual, spiritualism presents itself under a less subtle disguise than to the more refined and intellectual; in its grosser forms they find that which is in harmony with their inclinations. Satan studies every indication of the frailty of human nature, he marks the sins which each individual is inclined to commit, and then he takes care that opportunities shall not be wanting to gratify the tendency to evil. He tempts men to excess in that which is in itself lawful, causing them, through intemperance, to weaken physical, mental, and moral power. He has destroyed and is destroying thousands through the indulgence of the passions, thus brutalizing the entire nature of man. And to complete his work, he declares, through the spirits that "true knowledge places man above all law;" that "whatever is, is right;" that "God doth not condemn;" and that "all sins which are committed are innocent." When the people are thus led to believe that desire is the highest law, that liberty is license, and that man is accountable only to himself, who can wonder that corruption and depravity teem on every hand? Multitudes eagerly accept teachings that leave them at liberty to obey the promptings of the carnal heart. The reins of self-control are laid upon the neck of lust, the powers of mind and soul are made subject to the animal propensities, and Satan exultingly sweeps into his net thousands who profess to be followers of Christ.
From www.cqbiblestudy.org
Logos In the Footsteps of Christ
John 14:15–17; Acts 2; Rom. 12:2; 2 Cor. 3:17, 18; 10:3–5; Phil. 4:4–8
Sunday SEPTEMBER 8
What God Wants to See Happen as We Are Transformed (2 Cor. 3:17, 18)God has given us the power of choice. Therefore, it is important to understand that our life is influenced by the choices we make. God desires that we make good choices so we can develop a Christlike character. As our heavenly Father, He is able to provide us with everything we need for life in this world. Before we accept Christ as our Savior, we cannot see things as God sees them. However, when we accept His Son Christ as our Savior, the Holy Spirit dwells in us, helping us to live according to God’s principles. Then we are able to make choices that are in line with God’s expectations. “As the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like him and reflect his glory even more” (2 Cor. 3:18, NLT).
Thus we learn that transformation is an ongoing process that helps us to become Christlike. It has to do with how we think on a daily basis.
The Holy Spirit gives us the power to swim against the world’s tide.
In Harmony With Christ (Phil. 4:8)
When the Holy Spirit dwells in our hearts, we become new creations, thinking new thoughts. These thoughts affect our behavior so that the people around us can see that we have new hearts. Thus Paul advises us that “whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things” (Phil. 4:8, NJKV). Here Paul enumerates the positive things that emanate from a reformed and transformed mind. Scripture reminds us to think on these things that highlight our personality as reformed Christians. In His friendship with us, God wants us to exercise truth, honesty, justice, purity, and love. All these are in harmony with Christ’s thoughts.
The Power to Think New Thoughts (John 14:15–17; Acts 2)
Christ assured His disciples that He would never leave them alone, that when He returned to heaven, He would send them a Helper. Thus the Holy Spirit came upon them on the Day of Pentecost. Ever since then, the Holy Spirit has helped all Christians through all ages. And He will continue to do so.
The world has much to offer that is inconsistent with the principles of God. However, Christ has given us the assurance that through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, He will always be with us to guide us. As a result, we are able to focus on heavenly things and on God’s plan for us. “Set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God” (Col. 3:1–3, NIV).
In Defense of Our Faith (2 Cor. 10:3–5)
The fact that we live in a world engulfed in sin does not mean we must participate in its sinful ways. As we grow in Christ, we will learn to think and act quite differently from the way most people live. The Holy Spirit gives us the power to swim against the world’s tide. “For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.” “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Cor. 10:3, 5, NIV).
God wants us to obey Him and to be Christlike in all that we say and do. This is possible only if we are willing let the Holy Spirit live in us.
REACT
1. How will transformed individuals transform their local churches, the Seventh-day Adventist Church in general, and the world at large? See Isaiah 58, Micah 6:8, and Matthew 25:31–46.
2. Does thinking new thoughts mean we have to abandon everything we used to do before we changed, including our old friends? Explain your answer.
3. How does the Holy Spirit help us think new thoughts?
Monday – The Mind’s Filters
Philippians 4:7-8
7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.
Romans 12:2
2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.From the Sabbath School lesson by Mark Finley, www.ssnet.org
The Mind’s Filters
There are some parents who are so concerned about their children’s Internet viewing habits that they have installed filters to block out certain sites. Others have done something similar with television. The purpose of these “electronic filters” is to let some things in while keeping others out. God has provided a “spiritual filter” for our minds. It has been carefully crafted to allow only those things into our minds that will build our spiritual experience with Jesus.
What practical instruction does Paul give to his fellow Christians as a filter designed to guard their minds from the intoxicating influences of evil? How does this counsel apply today to our viewing habits on television, the Internet, and DVDs? Phil. 4:7-8; Rom. 12:2.
There is a great cathedral in Milan, Italy, with three large wooden entrance doors. Etched above the left-hand door are these words: “All that pleases is for a moment.” Over the right-hand door, these words stand out in bold relief: “All that troubles is but for a moment.” And emblazoned in bold letters over the center door is this poignant phrase: “That alone endures which is eternal.” Ask yourself: How often do you think about what’s eternal? How do your choices reflect those thoughts?
Testimony Are You Ready to Change?
Luke 19:1–10; 2 Cor. 3:18
Monday SEPTEMBER 9
The story of Zacchaeus teaches us that we have an up-close and personal Savior who is willing to get involved in our affairs, who wants us to leave our old ways of life and become like Him. Ellen White wrote that “Zacchaeus had been overwhelmed, amazed, and silenced at the love and condescension of Christ in stooping to him, so unworthy. Now love and loyalty to his new-found Master unseal his lips. He will make public his confession and his repentance.”1“No repentance is genuine that does not work reformation.”
Reformation requires that we leave our sinful nature behind in much the same way as a snake sheds its skin so that it can grow. We must shed our sinful self so that we can grow in Christ. We shouldn’t worry about losing some of our friends when we decide to follow the Savior.
“Among the publicans there was a confederacy, so that they could oppress the people, and sustain one another in their fraudulent practices. In their extortion they were but carrying out what had become an almost universal custom. Even the priests and rabbis who despised them were guilty of enriching themselves by dishonest practices under cover of their sacred calling. But no sooner did Zacchaeus yield to the influence of the Holy Spirit than he cast aside every practice contrary to integrity.”2
Like Zacchaeus, we cannot claim a change of thought if we do not allow our lives to be governed by those new thoughts. “No repentance is genuine that does not work reformation. The righteousness of Christ is not a cloak to cover unconfessed and unforsaken sin; it is a principle of life that transforms the character and controls the conduct. Holiness is wholeness for God; it is the entire surrender of heart and life to the indwelling of the principles of heaven.”3
“Every converted soul will, like Zacchaeus, signalize the entrance of Christ into his heart by an abandonment of the unrighteous practices that have marked his life.”4
REACT
1. Can we change our thinking if we don’t denounce our past lifestyle?
2. In what ways are we similar to Zacchaeus?
1. Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 554.
2. Ibid., p. 555.
3. Ibid., pp. 555, 556.
4. Ibid., p. 556.
Tuesday - The Mind’s Safeguard
Philippians 4:7
7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.2 Corinthians 10:3-5
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,Philippians 2:5
5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,From the Sabbath School lesson by Mark Finley, www.ssnet.org
The Mind’s Safeguard
“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:7, NIV). This is a wonderful promise but one that we have to actively seek in order to make it real in our lives.There are many ways in which we can let down our guard. We can let in the cesspool of this world’s entertainment. Our minds might be overcome by anger, bitterness, and resentment. They may be submerged in an ocean of intoxicating pleasure or addictive habits. The good news is that Jesus has promised to safeguard our minds-if we let Him.
Read 2 Corinthians 10:3-5. When Paul says that the “weapons of our warfare are not carnal” (NKJV) but spiritual, what does he mean? What are carnal weapons? What are spiritual weapons? The apostle also talks about “bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor. 10:5, NKJV). What does he mean, and how can it be accomplished?
When Paul says, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 2:5, NKJV), what specifically does he mean? How is it possible for us to have the mind of Christ? Where do the words let or allow in the text place responsibility for change?
From www.cqbiblestudy.org
Evidence We Are Lights in the World
John 1:9
Tuesday SEPTEMBER 10
George Whitefield (1714–1770) was a minister from England who preached throughout the English colonies that became the United States. He championed the renewal of Christianity known as the Great Awakening. From powerful and persuasive preaching, he became famous to his own and to later generations. His sermons became classics.In contrast to the eighteenth-century movement known as the Enlightenment, which advocated that reason could help humankind understand the universe, the Great Awakening emphasized that Jesus was the Light of the world and that God’s Word explained reality.
Unless we cling to Jesus, we are bound to get lost.
Today there is still a myriad of beliefs that polarize the world. Unless we cling to Jesus, we are bound to get lost. The test of our faith as Christians is in the Bible. The Word of God shows us our true Source of spiritual light. “The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.” “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:9, 14, NIV).
When we experience reformation, we become the rays of this divine source of light. Thus we are able to share the same light with the rest of the world. Christ, the true Source of light, is able to give us power through the Holy Spirit so that we reflect this light in how we think and act. The presence of the divine light in our life should be evident in our minds first and then in our relationships. Christ says, “ ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life’ ” (John 8:12, NIV).
Just as George Whitefield’s preaching did in the eighteenth century, our new way of thinking and living should revolutionize the world. That is the essence of our reformation in the twenty-first century.
REACT
1. With so many religious beliefs in our world, how can you ensure that you do not deviate from the true Source of light?
2. How would you describe a person who has experienced reformation and is thinking new thoughts?
3. Describe the role of the Holy Spirit in your role as ambassador for Christ.
Wednesday - Mind/Body Relationships
1 Thessalonians 5:23
23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.1 Corinthians 6:19-20
19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.Romans 12:2
2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.Romans 12:3
3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.John 10:10
10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.1 Corinthians 10:31
31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.From the Sabbath School lesson by Mark Finley, www.ssnet.org
Mind/Body Relationships
The ancient Greeks taught a form of dualism; that is, they believed that there was a great distinction between our bodies and our souls. In contrast, Scripture teaches that human beings are an integrated unit of physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual dimensions. Whatever affects one part of the human frame affects all parts. The disciples taught that physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health were interconnected and could not be separated.
How is this idea reflected in 1 Thessalonians 5:23?
For the New Testament believers, physical, mental and emotional well-being is indissolubly linked to spiritual well-being. The apostle Paul appealed to believers to “glorify God in their bodies.” He believed that all humanity was bought with a price and we are not our own (1 Cor. 6:19-20). Caring for our bodies by adopting a more healthful lifestyle does much more than add a few more years to our lives; done with the right motives, it can be an act of worship itself.
How do Romans 12:2-3; John 10:10; and 1 Corinthians 10:31 show the intimate relationship between our physical and spiritual health?
For the New Testament believers, physical, mental and emotional well-being is indissolubly linked to spiritual well-being. The apostle Paul appealed to believers to “glorify God in their bodies.” He believed that all humanity was bought with a price and we are not our own (1 Cor. 6:19-20). Caring for our bodies by adopting a more healthful lifestyle does much more than add a few more years to our lives; done with the right motives, it can be an act of worship itself.
How do Romans 12:2-3; John 10:10; and 1 Corinthians 10:31 show the intimate relationship between our physical and spiritual health?
From www.cqbiblestudy.org
How-to New Thoughts in Action
Col. 3:1–17
wednesday SEPTEMBER 11
One reason why people seek university degrees is to acquire knowledge in specific areas or to become an expert in a particular field. As His disciples, Christ has given us the knowledge we need to help us be His disciples. After we accept Him as our Savior, His Holy Spirit helps us to develop a character like His. Even though we are living in a sinful world, God wants us to change our thinking and our behavior. He wants us to focus on His kingdom. And as we do, we become bold in the face of the daunting tasks and events that come our way. How do we tell the world that we truly are thinking new thoughts?
Forgiveness helps us to shed our past grievances with one another.
Constantly grow in Christ. Before we accept Him, we entertain sinful thoughts that often lead to sinful acts. But after we accept Christ, our thoughts slowly turn toward Him, and our behavior changes accordingly. Instead of treating people with disdain, we learn to care for them. We trade impatience for patience, a cold heart for a kind heart, and pride for humility.
Forgive and forget. When we forgive in full, we are starting afresh. Forgiveness helps us to shed our past grievances with one another. It helps us to come together as brothers and sisters in Christ, united by His love.
Put godly love above all else. Such love should motivate all of our thoughts and actions. Such love is so deep and wide that it draws us together. And after observing all of the above behaviors, our new thoughts will help us to remember that whatever we do should glorify our Most High God.
REACT
1. Which of these steps do you need help with the most in order to focus on God's kingdom? How would you advise someone who is struggling in any of these three areas?
2. As Christians, why must love motivate our actions?
Thursday – Images of Influence
John 8:12
12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”John 1:9
9 That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.John 12:35-36
35 Then Jesus said to them, “A little while longer the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going. 36 While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.”These things Jesus spoke, and departed, and was hidden from them.Matthew 5:13-15
13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to allwho are in the house.
Philippians 2:14-16
14 Do all things without complaining and disputing, 15 that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.Colossians 3:1-2
1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.John 10:10
10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.1 Peter 3:3-4
3 Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel— 4 rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.Isaiah 55:8-9
8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts,Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD.
9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts.
From the Sabbath School lesson by Mark Finley, www.ssnet.org
Images of Influence
There are numerous images that Jesus uses to describe Himself and His church. One is “light.” He is “the light of the world” (John 8:12). He is also the “true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world” (John 1:9, NKJV). He encourages us to “walk while you have the light” and “believe in the light” (John 12:35-36, NKJV).
Compare Matthew 5:13-15 with Philippians 2:14-16. What is our Lord’s goal for His people in this world? What does that mean in practical terms? How can we be what we are called to be?
The goal of all revival and reformation is to allow the light of Christ’s love, grace, and truth to shine through our lives. Light shines in contrast to darkness. Jesus has called His people to live a lifestyle distinctly different from that which is lived in the world in order to demonstrate the superiority of His way of life. He calls us to be compassionate, caring, and concerned in a world of selfishness, greed, and egotism . He calls us to uphold high standards in entertainment in a society intoxicated with pleasure (Col. 3:1-2). He calls us to healthful living at a time when millions are dying too young from self-inflicted degenerative diseases (John 10:10). In the midst of an immodest, sex-centered, thrill-jaded generation, Jesus calls us to something different. He calls us to modesty, propriety, and moral purity (1 Pet. 3:3-4).
The Old Testament prophet Isaiah gave a clarion call to Israel for reformation about seven hundred years before Christ. His words speak with relevance to a church waiting for the return of our Lord. “‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,’ says the LORD. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts’” (Isa. 55:8-9, NKJV). God’s ideal for His church and for us as individuals is higher than we can imagine. All of heaven longs to reveal His character of love through His people.
Look at the standards that mark your lifestyle. In what ways (if any) do they reveal that you are a follower of Jesus and that your life is set on something other than this fading world?
From www.cqbiblestudy.org
Opinion Three-Dimensional Thinking
John 10:10
thursday SEPTEMBER 12
Two decades ago, my mother was a heavy smoker. She was addicted to nicotine. In one day alone, she would devour several packets of cigarettes. She did not notice that her physical health was declining because of this. Even though we were not attending church at that time, I still hated that my mother smoked. In my heart, I quietly wished she would quit.
Because my mother changed her mind, she began to think new thoughts.
Then one day, six people came to our home by chance. Or so it seemed. They were members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, who were doing visitation work during their Week of Prayer. They sang a hymn, prayed, and read a Bible verse for us. The following Sabbath, my mother went to their church and decided to be baptized.
My prayer was answered, for when she accepted Christ, she quit smoking. From this experience I learned that God wants us to change our minds and think anew. As His children, we must be faithful to Him in our minds as well as in our bodies. This is because there is a relationship between our minds and our bodies. Both must be in the best health possible. Jesus said that He came so that we might have a full life (John 10:10).
Because my mother changed her mind, she began to think new thoughts. Her health improved, and today she is one of the most devoted members of the church. She is also the chairlady of our community’s counseling group for drug addicts who are undergoing rehabilitation. Personally, I call this reformation. I have seen how a change of mind and heart can mean a change of life. Our Father in heaven wants us to change our ways of thinking so we can have a change of behavior and a balanced life in mind, body, and soul.
REACT
1. Should your physical desires or your thoughts dictate your behavior? Explain your answer.
2. What is the difference between thinking new thoughts and standing by your old ways of thinking?
Friday – Futher Study
Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 2, pp. 261-263 .
Chapter 38 – A Birthday Letter
My Dear Son,I write this for your nineteenth birthday. It has been a pleasure to have you with us a few weeks in the past. You are about to leave us, yet our prayers shall follow you.
Another year of your life closes today. How can you look back upon it? Have you made advancement in the divine life? Have you increased in spirituality? Have you crucified self, with the affections and lusts? Have you an increased interest in the study of God’s word? Have you gained decided victories over your own failings and waywardness? Oh, what has been the record of your life for the year which has now passed into eternity, never to be recalled?
As you enter upon a new year, let it be with an earnest resolve to have your course onward and upward. Let your life be more elevated and exalted than it has hitherto been. Make it your aim not to seek your own interest and pleasure, but to advance the cause of your Redeemer. Remain not in a position where you ever need help yourself, and where others have to guard you to keep you in the narrow way. You may be strong to exert a sanctifying influence upon others. You may be where your soul’s interest will be awakened to do good to others, to comfort the sorrowful, strengthen the weak, and to bear your testimony for Christ whenever opportunity offers. Aim to honor God in everything, always and everywhere. Carry your religion into everything. Be thorough in whatever you undertake.
You have not experienced the saving power of God as it is your privilege, because you have not made it the great aim of your life to glorify Christ. Let every purpose you form, every work in which you engage, and every pleasure you enjoy, be to the glory of God. Let this be the language of your heart: I am thine, O God, to live for Thee, to work for Thee, and to suffer for Thee.
Many profess to be on the Lord’s side, but they are not; the weight of all their actions is on Satan’s side. By what means shall we determine whose side we are on? Who has the heart? With whom are our thoughts? Upon whom do we love to converse? Who has our warmest affections and our best energies? If we are on the Lord’s side, our thoughts are with Him, and our sweetest thoughts are of Him. We have no friendship with the world; we have consecrated all that we have and are to Him. We long to bear His image, breathe His Spirit, do His will, and please Him in all things.
You should pursue so decided a course that none need to be mistaken in you. You cannot exert an influence upon the world without decision. Your resolutions may be good and sincere, but they will prove a failure unless you make God your strength and move forward with a firm determination of purpose. You should throw your whole heart into the cause and work of God. You should be in earnest to obtain an experience in the Christian life. You should exemplify Christ in your life.
You cannot serve God and mammon. You are either wholly on the Lord’s side or on the side of the enemy. “He that is not with Me is against Me; and he that gathereth not with Me scattereth abroad.” Some persons make their religious life a failure because they are always wavering and do not have determination. They are frequently convicted and come almost up to the point of surrendering all for God; but, failing to meet the point, they fall back again. While in this state the conscience is hardening and becoming less and less susceptible to the impressions of the Spirit of God. His Spirit has warned, has convicted, and has been disregarded, until it is nearly grieved away. God will not be trifled with. He shows duty clearly, and if there is a neglect to follow the light, it becomes darkness.
God bids you become a worker with Him in His vineyard. Commence just where you are. Come to the cross and there renounce self, the world, and every idol. Take Jesus into your heart fully. You are in a hard place to preserve consecration and to exert an influence which shall lead others from sin and pleasure and folly to the narrow way, cast up for the ransomed of the Lord to walk in.
Make an entire surrender to God; yield up everything unreservedly, and thus seek for that peace which passes understanding. You cannot draw nourishment from Christ unless you are in Him. If not in Him, you are a branch that is withered. You do not feel your want of purity and true holiness. You should feel an earnest desire for the Holy Spirit and should pray earnestly to obtain it. You cannot expect the blessing of God without seeking for it. If you used the means within your reach you would experience a growth in grace and would rise to a higher life.
Ellen G. White, Christ’s Object Lessons, pp. 418-420.
Light is a blessing, a universal blessing, pouring forth its treasures on a world unthankful, unholy, demoralized. So it is with the light of the Sun of Righteousness. The whole earth, wrapped as it is in the darkness of sin, and sorrow, and pain, is to be lighted with the knowledge of God’s love. From no sect, rank, or class of people is the light shining from heaven’s throne to be excluded.The message of hope and mercy is to be carried to the ends of the earth. Whosoever will, may reach forth and take hold of God’s strength and make peace with Him, and he shall make peace. No longer are the heathen to be wrapped in midnight darkness. The gloom is to disappear before the bright beams of the Sun of Righteousness. The power of hell has been overcome.
But no man can impart that which he himself has not received. In the work of God, humanity can originate nothing. No man can by his own effort make himself a light bearer for God. It was the golden oil emptied by the heavenly messengers into the golden tubes, to be conducted from the golden bowl into the lamps of the sanctuary, that produced a continuous bright and shining light. It is the love of God continually transferred to man that enables him to impart light. Into the hearts of all who are united to God by faith the golden oil of love flows freely, to shine out again in good works, in real, heartfelt service for God.
In the great and measureless gift of the Holy Spirit are contained all of heaven’s resources. It is not because of any restriction on the part of God that the riches of His grace do not flow earthward to men. If all were willing to receive, all would become filled with His Spirit.
It is the privilege of every soul to be a living channel through which God can communicate to the world the treasures of His grace, the unsearchable riches of Christ. There is nothing that Christ desires so much as agents who will represent to the world His Spirit and character. There is nothing that the world needs so much as the manifestation through humanity of the Saviour’s love. All heaven is waiting for channels through which can be poured the holy oil to be a joy and blessing to human hearts.
Christ has made every provision that His church shall be a transformed body, illumined with the Light of the world, possessing the glory of Emmanuel. It is His purpose that every Christian shall be surrounded with a spiritual atmosphere of light and peace. He desires that we shall reveal His own joy in our lives.
The indwelling of the Spirit will be shown by the outflowing of heavenly love. The divine fullness will flow through the consecrated human agent, to be given forth to others.
The Sun of Righteousness has “healing in His wings.” Malachi 4:2. So from every true disciple is to be diffused an influence for life, courage, helpfulness, and true healing.
The religion of Christ means more than the forgiveness of sin; it means taking away our sins, and filling the vacuum with the graces of 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. When Christ reigns in the soul, there is purity, freedom from sin. The glory, the fullness, the completeness of the gospel plan is fulfilled in the life. The acceptance of the Saviour brings a glow of perfect peace, perfect love, perfect assurance. The beauty and fragrance of the character of Christ revealed in the life testifies that God has indeed sent His Son into the world to be its Saviour.
Christ does not bid His followers strive to shine. He says, Let your light shine. If you have received the grace of God, the light is in you. Remove the obstructions, and the Lord’s glory will be revealed. The light will shine forth to penetrate and dispel the darkness. You cannot help shining within the range of your influence.
The revelation of His own glory in the form of humanity will bring heaven so near to men that the beauty adorning the inner temple will be seen in every soul in whom the Saviour dwells. Men will be captivated by the glory of an abiding Christ. And in currents of praise and thanksgiving from the many souls thus won to God, glory will flow back to the great Giver.
2 Corinthians 5:18-20
18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.
2 Corinthians 6:17-18
17 Therefore“Come out from among them
And be separate, says the Lord.
Do not touch what is unclean,
And I will receive you.”
18 “I will be a Father to you,
And you shall be My sons and daughters,
Says the LORD Almighty.”
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