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Did Jesus take the nature of Adam

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Today God’s people are faced with a question that is designed in such a way as to deceive, if possible, the very elect. The question, “Did Jesus take the nature of Adam before the Fall or after the Fall” is asked in a way that will lead to one of two soul-destroying conclusions.

  1. We cannot overcome sin until Jesus comes.
  2. We unwittingly ascribe to the human nature of Christ the attributes of Satan.

Who Do Men Say …

In Matthew 16:13-18, Jesus asked His disciples a very important question, “Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?” Their answer indicated that men only saw Jesus as a man; they did not discern His divinity, His divine nature.

Then Jesus asked His disciples, “But whom say ye that I am?” Peter said, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” They recognized Christ as more than just a man; they recognized His divinity blended with His humanity in one Person, the Son (humanity) of the living God (divinity).

“Was the human nature of the Son of Mary changed into the divine nature of the Son of God? No; the two natures were mysteriously blended in one Person—the Man Christ Jesus. In Him dwelt all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.” Manuscript Releases, Vol. 21, 418

When two things are blended they become one. Jesus was fully human and fully divine; humanity and divinity were blended in one Person.

In the next verse, Jesus blessed Peter and said that flesh and blood did not reveal this truth to him. In other words, man cannot reveal to man the divinity of Christ, but God the Father revealed that the Man Christ Jesus was more than just a man; He was the Son of the living God and in His real and fully human body, “dwelt all the fullness of the Godhead.” This truth is what makes Christ the Rock, the foundation, upon which God’s church is built, and faith in this truth is essential to salvation.

The Scribes

There is another story, recorded in Mark 12:28–34, that directly relates to the divinity of Christ and complements the story in Matthew, but also adds the component of the law of God which is a transcript of God’s character. Together they begin to expose the error of the deceptive question that is facing God’s people today.

Scribe: “Which is the first commandment of all?”

Jesus: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.”

Scribe: “Well, Master, Thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but He: And to love Him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

The scribe recognized that love to God and man is the underlying principle, the foundation of all the commandments. But then what did Jesus say to the scribe?

Jesus: “And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, He said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God.”

Why did Jesus tell the scribe that he was not far from the kingdom of God? Before looking at the answer we need to know what the kingdom of God is. Paul answers this question in Romans.

“For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.” Romans 14:17

“And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance forever.” Isaiah 32:17

So why did Jesus tell the scribe that he was not far from the kingdom?

“The scribe was near to the kingdom of God, in that he recognized deeds of righteousness as more acceptable to God than burnt offerings and sacrifices. But he needed to recognize the divine character of Christ, and through faith in Him receive power to do the works of righteousness.” The Desire of Ages, 608

The kingdom of God is His righteousness and it is through faith in His righteousness that we receive power to do the works of righteousness. Faith in the righteousness of Christ is the basis of justification. But unless we recognize His righteousness in contrast to our unrighteousness, we cannot be justified and all efforts to obey the law of God will simply be legalism.

The Rich Young Ruler

Another individual in the Bible who is pointed out as not recognizing the divinity of Christ is the rich young ruler. His story pinpoints the very issue that prevents men from recognizing Christ, the Son of man, as also the Son of the living God. Matthew 19:16–22 records this story. The rich young ruler came to Jesus and asked, “Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?” Before answering his question, Jesus asked him, “Why callest thou Me good? there is none good but One, that is God.” What is the problem with the way the young ruler addressed Jesus?

“The ruler had addressed Christ merely as an honored rabbi, not discerning in Him the Son of God. … On what ground do you call Me good? God is the one good. If you recognize Me as such, you must receive Me as His Son and representative.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 390

The word good in these verses refers to an “intrinsic goodness.” Jesus said that there is only One who is inherently good and that is God. The young ruler did not recognize the inherent goodness in Jesus and without recognizing His inherent goodness, we cannot recognize Him as the Son of God nor as His representative. Jesus came to this earth to represent His Father’s righteous character, and in order to represent His character, He had to possess it. So, did He?

“I delight to do Thy will, O my God: yea, Thy law is within my heart. I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O Lord, Thou knowest. I have not hid Thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared Thy faithfulness and Thy salvation: I have not concealed Thy lovingkindness and Thy truth from the great congregation.” Psalm 40:8–10

The law of God is a transcript of His character, the very essence of His goodness and righteousness. The law was written in the human heart of Jesus. Therefore, the righteousness of this holy law was manifested in His life.

“Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit. … For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.” Matthew 12:33, 34, last part, 35

So, in addition to receiving Jesus as the Son of God, the rich young ruler needed to receive Him as His Father’s representative. But Jesus continued explaining what else was required, “If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.” First, He essentially quotes the last six commandments but when He gets to the last commandment instead of saying, “Thou shalt not covet …” Jesus said, “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.”

What is covetousness?

“All covetousness is condemned as idolatry.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 261

“Put away all selfishness, all covetousness.” The General Conference Bulletin, October 1, 1899

Are we born selfish? Or do we become selfish sometime after we are born and if so, how?

“Under God, Adam was to stand at the head of the earthly family, to maintain the principles of the heavenly family [the principles of the law of God]. This would have brought peace and happiness. But the law [of self-sacrificing love] that none ‘liveth to himself’ (Romans 14:7), Satan was determined to oppose. He desired to live for self. He sought to make himself a center of influence. It was this [selfishness] that had incited rebellion in heaven, and it was man’s acceptance of this [selfish] principle that brought sin on earth. When Adam sinned, man broke away from the heaven-ordained center. A demon became the central power in the world. Where God’s throne should have been [in the heart of man], Satan placed his throne. The world [representing men] laid its homage [loyalty], as a willing offering, at the feet of the enemy.

“The transgression of God’s law brought woe and death in its train. Through disobedience man’s powers were perverted, and selfishness took the place of love.” Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, 33

Where does Inspiration say that God’s throne is to be?

“God has bought us, and He claims a throne in each heart.” Manuscript Releases, Vol. 18, 48

“When God has His rightful place on the throne of the heart, the right place will be given to our neighbor. We shall love him as ourselves. And only as we love God supremely is it possible to love our neighbor impartially.” The Desire of Ages, 607

“Until self is laid upon the altar of sacrifice, Christ will not be reflected in the character. When self is buried, and Christ occupies the throne of the heart, there will be a revelation of principles that will clear the moral atmosphere surrounding the soul.” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Vol. 6, 1098

The heart of man is to be the throne of God, but when Adam sinned, the powers of man were perverted with selfishness because Satan placed his throne in man’s heart.

“All sin is selfishness. Satan’s first sin was selfishness. He sought to grasp power, to exalt self. A species of insanity led him to seek to supersede God. And the temptation which led Adam to sin was the false statement of Satan that it was possible for him to attain to something more than he already enjoyed—possible for him to be as God Himself. Thus, seeds of selfishness were sown in the human heart.” The Ellen G. White 1888 Materials, 1763

Do the seeds of selfishness affect the nature or the character of man?

“We have hereditary tendencies to wrong. This is a part of self that no one need carry about. It is a weakness of humanity to pet selfishness, because it is a natural trait of character.” The Faith I Live By, 140

Yes, seeds of selfishness do affect the character of man, because selfishness is “a natural trait of human character.”

“By nature, man has no love for God. It is not natural for him to think of heavenly things. Satan has worked against God and His government, leading men to attribute to God the traits which belong to the power of evil. Christ came to this world to reveal the Father.” The Review and Herald, March 12, 1901

When Adam failed to maintain the principles of God’s law of divine love, the seeds of selfishness were sown in the human heart and selfishness took the place of love. Selfishness became the inherent, natural trait of character, the driving force in man’s nature.

Back to the rich young ruler

“Christ does not lessen the claims of the law. In unmistakable language, He presents obedience to it as the condition of eternal life—the same condition that was required of Adam before his fall. The Lord expects no less of the soul now than He expected of man in paradise, perfect obedience, unblemished righteousness. The requirement under the covenant of grace is just as broad as the requirement made in Eden—harmony with God’s law, which is holy, just, and good.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 391

“The lover of self is a transgressor of the law. This Jesus desired to reveal to the young man, and He gave him a test that would make manifest the selfishness of his heart. He showed him the plague spot in his character [thoughts and feelings]. The young man desired no further enlightenment. He had cherished an idol in the soul; the world was his god. He professed to have kept the commandments, but he was destitute of the principle [divine love] which is the very spirit and life of them all. He did not possess true love for God or man. This want was the want of everything that would qualify him to enter the kingdom of heaven. In his love of self and worldly gain, he was out of harmony with the principles of heaven [the law of God].” Ibid., 392

“A good man, out of the good treasure of his heart, bringeth forth good things. God does not deal with actions so much as with the heart that prompts them.” Manuscript Releases, Vol. 4, 440

“Holiness of heart will produce right actions. It is the absence of spirituality, of holiness, which leads to unrighteous acts, to envy, hatred, jealousy, evil surmisings, and every hateful and abominable sin.” Testimonies, Vol. 2, 445

Is sin limited to our actions?

“Until the requirements of the holy law were applied as the rule of life, fallen man could not understand his own guilt, nor realize his condemned, lost condition. Jesus made application of the law directly to the soul, and laid under its jurisdiction the will and desires and works of man. Wrongdoing and all thoughts and feelings condemned by the law are to be overcome.” Manuscript Releases, Vol. 9, 235, 236

“The law of God takes note of the jealousy, envy, hatred, malignity, revenge, lust, and ambition that surge through the soul, but have not found expression in outward action, because the opportunity, not the will, has been wanting. And these sinful emotions will be brought into the account in the day when ‘God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil.’ ” The Signs of the Times, April 15, 1886

The deeds of the law may be performed, there may be an outward obedience, but what is the principle in the heart that motivates the action? What is the principle in the heart that is being worked out in the life? The natural principle in the heart is what determines whether outward action is true obedience or legalism. Without the power to do the works of righteousness, obedience is legalism.

“Even the moral law fails of its purpose, unless it is understood in its relation to the Saviour.” The Desire of Ages, 608

Before looking at the purpose of the law we want to understand its relation to the Saviour.

The Requirement of the Law in Relation to Sinful Man and Christ

“The law requires righteousness—a righteous life, a perfect character; and this man has not to give. He cannot meet the claims of God’s holy law.” The Desire of Ages, 762

The law requires righteousness and a perfect character. Sinful man has neither one. What about Jesus’ finite human nature?

“Jesus volunteered to meet the highest claims of the law, that He might be the Justifier of all who believe on Him. We look to the cross, and see in Jesus a fully-satisfied and reconciled God. Jesus is righteousness. What fullness is expressed in these words!” The Review and Herald, September 2, 1890

“To human eyes, Christ was only a man, yet He was a perfect man. In His humanity, He was the impersonation of the divine character. God embodied His own attributes in His Son—His power, His wisdom, His goodness, His purity, His truthfulness, His spirituality, and His benevolence. In Him, though human, all perfection of character, all divine excellence, dwelt.” The Youth’s Instructor, September 16, 1897

In the next reference, notice how Inspiration uses the words character and nature synonymously in describing what happened when man sinned in Eden.

“When man sinned, all heaven was filled with sorrow; for through yielding to temptation, man became the enemy of God, a partaker of the satanic nature. The image of God in which he had been created was marred and distorted. The character of man was out of harmony with the character of God; for through sin man became carnal, and the carnal heart is enmity against God, is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” The Signs of the Times, February 13, 1893

At the Fall, man became a partaker of the satanic nature because the seeds of selfishness were sown in the heart of man. Selfishness is the very essence of Satan’s nature and this is the nature, the character, that we inherit from Adam.

The next two references refer to the humanity of Christ. Notice the contrast.

“The Sun of Righteousness, shining amid the moral darkness in such distinct rays, revealed the contrast between sin and holiness, purity and defilement, and such light was not welcome to them [the Jews]. Christ was not such a one as themselves.” The Review and Herald, July 12, 1898

“Christ points us to the key of all His suffering and humiliation—the love of God. We read in the parable, ‘Last of all He sent unto them His Son, saying, They will reverence My Son.’ Again and again, the Jewish nation had apostatized. Christ came to see what He could do for His vineyard that He had not done. With His divinity clothed with humanity, He stood before the people, presenting to them their true condition.” Ibid., July 17, 1900

Without recognizing His divinity, we cannot see our true condition. And if we do not see our true condition as a partaker of the satanic nature and then ascribe our condition to Christ, whose character, whose nature are we ascribing to Him?

“Satan has worked against God and His government, leading men to attribute to God the traits which belong to the power of evil.” Ibid., March 12, 1901

What is the purpose of the moral law?

“Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.” Galatians 3:24

“Christ had repeatedly shown that His Father’s law contained something deeper than mere authoritative commands. In the law is embodied the same principle that is revealed in the gospel. The law points out man’s duty and shows him his guilt. To Christ he must look for pardon and for power to do what the law enjoins.” The Desire of the Ages, 608

The purpose of the law is to bring us to Christ that we might be justified. If we recognize Christ as the Son of God in human nature, we will recognize the contrast between His natural righteousness [divinity] and our natural unrighteousness [humanity]; the difference between self-sacrificing love and the plague of selfishness or covetousness. This is the only way that we can recognize our guilt and the only remedy for our guilt is Jesus. We must look to Him for two things: pardon and power to obey.

“Pardon and justification are one and the same thing. Through faith, the believer passes from the position of a rebel, a child of sin and Satan, to the position of a loyal subject of Christ Jesus, not because of an inherent goodness, but because Christ receives him as His child by adoption. The sinner receives the forgiveness of his sins, because these sins are borne by his Substitute and Surety.” Manuscript Releases, Vol. 9, 301

When we are justified, we become a loyal subject of Christ, not because of an inherent goodness. The law requires this inherent goodness and while we do not inherit this righteousness, Jesus did, and notice what He said in Matthew 5:17, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.” Mrs. White explains what Jesus meant when He said that He came to fulfill the law.

“He here used the word ‘fulfill’ in the same sense as when He declared to John the Baptist His purpose to ‘fulfill all righteousness’ (Matthew 3:15); that is, to fill up the measure of the law’s requirement, to give an example of perfect conformity to the will of God.” Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 48, 49

Jesus is our substitute in fulfilling the law’s requirement of righteousness, just as His baptism fulfilled the requirement of baptism for the thief on the cross.

“His mission was to ‘magnify the law, and make it honorable.’ Isaiah 42:21. He was to show the spiritual nature of the law, to present its far-reaching principles, and to make plain its eternal obligation.” Ibid., 49

If we confess our guilt and recognize that Jesus is righteousness and as our substitute filled up the measure of the law for us, then He will pardon us. This is the very essence of justification by faith. But faith does not end here. We must look to Christ not only for pardon [justification], but also for power to do what the law enjoins. What is the power?

“Love is power. Intellectual and moral strength are involved in this principle, and cannot be separated from it. The power of wealth has a tendency to corrupt and destroy; the power of force is strong to do hurt; but the excellence and value of pure love consist in its efficiency to do good, and to do nothing else than good. Whatsoever is done out of pure love, be it ever so little or contemptible in the sight of men, is wholly fruitful; for God regards more with how much love one worketh, than the amount he doeth. Love is of God. The unconverted heart cannot originate nor produce this plant of heavenly origin, which lives and flourishes only where Christ reigns.

“Love cannot live without action, and every act increases, strengthens, and extends it. Love will gain the victory when argument and authority are powerless. Love works not for profit nor reward; yet God has ordained that great gain shall be the certain result of every labor of love. It is diffusive in its nature, and quiet in its operation, yet strong, mighty, to overcome great evils. It is melting and transforming in its influence, and will take hold of the lives of the sinful and affect their hearts when every other means has proved unsuccessful. Wherever the power of intellect, of authority, or of force is employed, and love is not manifestly present, the affections and will of those whom we seek to reach assume a defensive, repelling position, and their strength of resistance is increased. Jesus was the Prince of Peace. He came into the world to bring resistance and authority into subjection to Himself. Wisdom and strength He could command, but the means He employed with which to overcome evil were the wisdom and strength of love. …” Gospel Workers (1915), 311, 312

“The divine beauty of the character of Christ, of whom the noblest and most gentle among men are but a faint reflection; of whom Solomon by the Spirit of inspiration wrote, He is ‘the chiefest among ten thousand, … yea, He is altogether lovely’ (Song of Solomon 5:10–16); of whom David, seeing Him in prophetic vision, said, ‘Thou art fairer than the children of men’ (Psalm 45:2); Jesus, the express image of the Father’s person, the effulgence of His glory; the self-denying Redeemer, throughout His pilgrimage of love on earth, was a living representation of the character of the law of God. In His life it is made manifest that heaven-born love, Christlike principles, underlie the laws of eternal rectitude.” Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 49

Rectitude involves both the mind and the conduct. Rectitude of mind is the natural inclination, the natural tendency or propensity to do what the law requires. Rectitude of conduct is doing what the law requires.

The issue in the controversy regarding the nature of Christ is justification. Jesus filled up the full measure of the law and brought into human nature the power of divine love, the power that we need to not only meet the law’s requirement of righteousness but also the power of divine love for true obedience to be sanctified. But before His divine love can be imparted to us in the life-long process of sanctification we must be justified; His righteousness must be imputed to us, put in our account. And before His righteousness can be applied to our record we must recognize our guilt of natural covetousness, natural selfishness, and confess this sin.

“If we say that we have [present tense] no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [justification] our sins, and to cleanse us [sanctification] from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:8, 9 (brackets added.)

Prior to the conversion of Paul, he was a stickler for outward obedience but when Jesus revealed His divine nature to Saul on the road to Damascus, Paul was convicted of his sin. And what commandment did Paul say convicted him? “I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.” Romans 7:7

We have been warned

“The danger has been presented to me again and again of entertaining, as a people, false ideas of justification by faith. I have been shown for years that Satan would work in a special manner to confuse the mind on this point. The law of God has been largely dwelt upon, and has been presented to congregations, almost as destitute of the knowledge of Jesus Christ and His relation to the law as was the offering of Cain. I have been shown that many have been kept from the faith because of the mixed, confused ideas of salvation, because the ministers have worked in a wrong manner to reach hearts. The point which has been urged upon my mind for years is the imputed righteousness of Christ. I have wondered that this matter was not made the subject of discourses in our churches throughout the land, when the matter has been kept so constantly urged upon me, and I have made it the subject of nearly every discourse and talk that I have given to the people.” The Ellen G. White 1888 Materials, 810

If we do not understand how the humanity of Christ is related to the law of God, we will have false ideas of justification by faith, which is the imputed righteousness of Christ. It is impossible to do the works of righteousness without first being justified, and before we can be justified we must be convicted that our condition of selfishness, our state of evil, is sin because it is an imperfection of character, out of harmony with the perfect character of God as manifested in His only begotten Son.

The law of God convicted the scribe of his duty that obedience [deeds of righteousness], is necessary for salvation, and because of this Jesus said that he was “not far from the kingdom of God.” But he also “needed to recognize that the divine character of Christ, that the kingdom of God was in Him.” This story does not reveal whether or not the scribe ever recognized His divine character and through faith in His righteousness received the power of divine love to obey. But Inspiration is crystal clear that without recognizing that His finite human nature possessed the divine attributes of His Father, the righteousness that the law requires, we will never gain an entrance into His kingdom, His righteousness.

Those who do not understand the difference between the human nature of sinful man and the human nature of the Son of God unwittingly ascribe to Jesus the attributes of the satanic nature, for that is what we inherit from Adam.

We may intellectually understand that it is our duty to obey the law of God, but until we are convicted of our guilt we will never receive the power, the divine love of God, to do the works of righteousness. And we will never be convicted of our guilt until we see the contrast between our condition of evil, our lack of righteousness, and the human condition of Jesus, full of righteousness and holiness. He was the personification of the law of God, the law of self-sacrificing love. Without His righteousness we are the personification of Satan’s law, the law of selfishness.

There are many scribes today in God’s church who recognize that deeds of righteousness are necessary; they profess to believe in obedience but they limit sin to a choice and thereby deny that our state or condition of evil is sin. Then they teach that the human nature of Jesus inherited all that we inherit from Adam. Lacking knowledge regarding the far-reaching principles of God’s law and how the humanity of Christ is related to His law, they unwittingly join Satan in working “against God and His government, leading men to attribute to God the traits which belong to the power of evil.” The Review and Herald, March 12, 1901

“Christ was the pattern minister. He was the greatest teacher the world ever saw.” Sermons and Talks, Vol. 2, 75

“Let it never be forgotten that the teacher must be what he desires his pupils to become.” The Review and Herald, January 10, 1882

“We are to look to the man Christ Jesus, who is complete in the perfection of righteousness and holiness. He is the Author and Finisher of our faith. He is the Pattern Man. His experience is the measure of the experience that we are to gain. His character is our model.” Ibid., March 9, 1905

All scriptures are from the King James Bible.

Peggy Nixon has a deep love for the “truth as it is in Jesus.” She does not claim to be an expert on this subject but found that it opened to her a better understanding of righteousness by faith, both in justification and sanctification.  She can be reached at natureofchrist@gmail.com.

Living Representatives

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Recently, I had the opportunity to visit with a gentleman who has traveled over a large percentage of the world and has become acquainted with people in many countries. He told me there are many troubled populations who realize that things are terribly wrong in this world, and they are trying to figure out what is really happening, and why. They are seeking for truth but do not know where to find it. The Lord has revealed to those who understand the three angels’ messages the answer to the cry of these multitudes.

“A great work is to be accomplished in setting before men the saving truths of the gospel. This is the means ordained by God to stem the tide of moral corruption. This is His means of restoring His moral image in man. It is His remedy for universal disorganization. It is the power that draws men together in unity. To present these truths is the work of the third angel’s message. The Lord designs that the presentation of this message shall be the highest, greatest work carried on in the world at this time.” Testimonies, Vol. 6, 11

However, God needs a certain kind of person to take this message.

“The cause of God in the earth today is in need of living representatives of Bible truth. … God is calling not only upon ministers, but also upon physicians, nurses, colporteurs, Bible workers, and other consecrated laymen of varied talent who have a knowledge of the word of God and who know the power of His grace … .” The Acts of the Apostles, 158, 159

“Everyone must lift the cross, and in modesty, meekness, and lowliness of mind, take up his God-given duties, engaging in personal effort for those around him who need help and light.” The Review and Herald, July 21, 1891

“There may be marked defects in the character of an individual, yet when he becomes a true disciple of Jesus, the power of divine grace makes him a new creature. Christ’s love transforms, sanctifies him.” My Life Today, 257

Zeal in Service

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July 20 –26, 2025

Key Text

“As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.” Revelation 3:19

Study Help: Manuscript Releases, Vol. 6, 415; Colporteur Ministry, 154, 155

Introduction

“All the advantages which God has given are His means to throw ardor into the spirit, zeal into effort, and vigor into the carrying out of His holy will.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 360

Sunday

1 A NEW ATTITUDE NEEDED

1.a. What should we learn from Christ’s warning against murmuring and half-hearted service? Matthew 25:14, 15, 18, 24–30

Note: “How many feel as did the servant with the one talent, that the Lord is an austere man, reaping where he has not sown, and gathering where he has not strewn. This view of the matter is a delusion of the wicked one; for what have we that we did not receive? ‘All things come of Thee, and of thine own have we given Thee,’ should be the language of our grateful hearts. Those who are engrossed in the service of self and the world, feel a spirit of grudging when they are urged to devote their service to the God of love. They give to the world their best thought, their tact, their talents, their means, their influence. When self is served, they do not withhold anything, but give their lives for the passing pleasures of earth. But when it comes to the service of God, do men manifest the same zeal for His work as they formerly manifested in the service of the world?” The Review and Herald, June 12, 1888

1.b.  What admonitions of Christ apply with special force in these last days of earth’s history? Matthew 24:12; Revelation 2:4

Note: “The members of the church should each have a jealous care that the enemies of our faith have no occasion to triumph over their lifeless, backslidden state. Some have wasted their influence, when with a little self denial, earnestness, and zeal, they might have been a power on the side of good. This zeal will not come without effort, without earnest struggles.” Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 5, 287

“There are many who give no decided evidence that they are true to their baptismal vows. Their zeal is chilled by formality, worldly ambition, pride, and love of self. Occasionally their feelings are stirred, but they do not fall on the Rock, Christ Jesus. They do not come to God with hearts that are broken in repentance and confession. Those who experience the work of true conversion in their hearts will reveal the fruits of the Spirit in their lives.” Ibid., Vol. 9, 155

Monday

2 A QUALITY TO SEEK

2.a. How does the Bible depict the vital importance of zeal for God? Psalms 42:1; 84:2. If this quality is lacking in us, how can we acquire it? Jeremiah 29:13

Note: “There is need of fasting, humiliation, and prayer over our decaying zeal and languishing spirituality.” Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 4, 535, 536

2.b.      What promise is for all who yearn to become Christlike? Matthew 5:6. Why is Jacob’s experience so valuable to us? Genesis 32:24–30

Note: “With the great truth we have been privileged to receive, we should, and under the Holy Spirit’s power we could, become living channels of light. We could then approach the mercy seat; and seeing the bow of promise, kneel with contrite hearts, and seek the kingdom of heaven with a spiritual violence that would bring its own reward. We would take it by force, as did Jacob. Then our message would be the power of God unto salvation.” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Vol. 5, 1089

“Go to your closet, and there alone plead with God: ‘Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.’ Be in earnest, be sincere. Fervent prayer availeth much. Jacob-like, wrestle in prayer. Agonize. Jesus in the garden sweat great drops of blood; you must make an effort. Do not leave your closet until you feel strong in God; then watch, and just as long as you watch and pray you can keep these evil besetments under, and the grace of God can and will appear in you.” Messages to Young People, 131, 132

Tuesday

3 ZEAL IN ACTION

3.a. What can we learn from the struggles and victories won by faithful witnesses for God? Jeremiah 20:8–11; Acts 4:14–20

Note: “So strong was the opposition against Jeremiah’s message, so often was he derided and mocked, that he said, ‘I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name’ (Jeremiah 20:9). Thus it has ever been. Because of the bitterness, hatred, and opposition manifested against the word of God spoken in reproof, many other messengers of God have decided to do as Jeremiah decided. But what did this prophet of the Lord do after his decision? Try as much as he would, he could not hold his peace. As soon as he came into the assemblies of the people, he found that the Spirit of the Lord was stronger than he was.” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Vol. 4, 1156

“Zeal for God and His cause moved the disciples to bear witness to the gospel with mighty power. Should not a like zeal fire our hearts with a determination to tell the story of redeeming love, of Christ and Him crucified? It is the privilege of every Christian, not only to look for, but to hasten the coming of the Saviour.” The Acts of the Apostles, 600

3.b. What experience must be echoed in our lives? Psalm 119:137–140; 1 John 3:1–3

Note: “We are standing upon the verge of the eternal world. Because iniquity abounds, the love of many is waxing cold. Instead of this, love for God, love for purity, truth, and holiness, should be increasing in our hearts. The increase of wickedness around us should awaken in us more earnest zeal and stronger determination.” The Review and Herald, November 29, 1881

Wednesday

4 AVOIDING MISGUIDED ZEAL

4.a. What are some ways in which we may be in danger of going astray through misguided zeal? Romans 10:1–3; 1 Corinthians 10:23

Note: “When some who lack the Spirit and power of God enter a new field, they commence denouncing other denominations, thinking that they can convince the people of the truth by presenting the inconsistencies of the popular churches. It may seem necessary on some occasions to speak of these things, but in general it only creates prejudice against our work and closes the ears of many who might otherwise have listened to the truth. If these teachers were connected closely with Christ, they would have divine wisdom to know how to approach the people.” Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 4, 536

4.b. What was wrong with the false zeal of Jehu? 2 Kings 10:16–19, 28–31

Note: “There is a noisy zeal, without aim or purpose, which is not according to knowledge, which is blind in its operations and destructive in its results. This is not Christian zeal. Christian zeal is controlled by principle and is not spasmodic. It is earnest, deep, and strong, engaging the whole soul and arousing to exercise the moral sensibilities. The salvation of souls and the interests of the kingdom of God are matters of the highest importance. What object is there that calls for greater earnestness than the salvation of souls and the glory of God? There are considerations here which cannot be lightly regarded. They are as weighty as eternity. Eternal destinies are at stake. Men and women are deciding for weal or woe. Christian zeal will not exhaust itself in talk, but will feel and act with vigor and efficiency. Yet Christian zeal will not act for the sake of being seen. Humility will characterize every effort and be seen in every work. Christian zeal will lead to earnest prayer and humiliation, and to faithfulness in home duties. In the family circle will be seen the gentleness and love, benevolence and compassion, which are ever the fruits of Christian zeal.” Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 2, 232, 233

Thursday

5 THE EXAMPLE OF CHRIST

5.a. How did the psalmist’s prophecy of godly zeal reach its fulfillment in Christ? Psalm 69:9; John 2:17; 4:34. What factors should we learn from the zeal of Christ?

Note: “The law was exemplified in the life of Christ. He is a pattern for all humanity. He lived the law. His purity and beneficence, His devotion to the truth, and His zeal for God’s glory reveal the perfection of the law.” The Review and Herald, February 26, 1901

“Christ declared that it was His meat and drink to do His Father’s will. The zeal that comes through such sanctification of the truth makes the believer in the truth powerful, for he is the repository of sacred truth, and as he partakes of the truth he will be a helpful Christian. Zeal should always be uniform, manifesting a holiness of character.” Manuscript Releases, Vol. 10, 131

5.b. What appeal does Christ make to each one of us living in the lukewarm era of Laodicea? Revelation 3:19

Note: “At this time, when the end of all things is at hand, should not the zeal of the church exceed even that of the early church? Zeal for the glory of God moved the disciples to bear witness to the truth with mighty power. Should not this zeal fire our hearts with a longing to tell the story of redeeming love, of Christ and Him crucified? Should not the power of God be even more mightily revealed today than in the time of the apostles?” Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 7, 33

Friday

REVIEW AND THOUGHT QUESTIONS

1    What warning should we heed from the parable of the talents?

2    Which aspect of Jacob’s experience is also to be ours, and why?

3    What can we learn from Jeremiah, David, and the early apostles?

4    How might we be manifesting symptoms of misguided zeal?

5    What characterizes genuine zeal?

Copyright 1997, Reformation Herald Publishing Association, 5240 Hollins Road, Roanoke, Virginia 24019-5048, U.S.A.

Wholehearted, Voluntary Service

by

July 13 – 19, 2025

Key Text

“And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first commandment.” Mark 12:30

Study Help: The Review and Herald, January 14, 1890; Early Writings, 266–269

Introduction

“The whole being—heart, soul, mind, and strength—is to be used in God’s service. What is there left that is not devoted to God?” The Review and Herald, November 6, 1900

Sunday

1 MOTIVE FOR SERVICE

1.a. What aspects of discipleship are often overlooked by many who profess to follow Christ? Mark 8:34; John 15:19, 20

Note: “Christ made a full and complete sacrifice, a sacrifice sufficient to save every son and daughter of Adam who should show repentance toward God for having transgressed His law, and manifest faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Yet notwithstanding the sacrifice was ample, but few consent to a life of obedience that they may have this great salvation. Few are willing to imitate His amazing privations, to endure His sufferings and persecutions, and to share His exhausting labor to bring others to the light. But few will follow His example in earnest, frequent prayer to God for strength to endure the trials of this life and perform its daily duties. Christ is the Captain of our salvation, and by His own sufferings and sacrifice He has given an example to all His followers that watchfulness and prayer, and persevering effort, were necessary on their part if they would rightly represent the love which dwelt in His bosom for the fallen race.” Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 2, 664

1.b.  What contrast exists between true and false service? Job 31:24–28; 29:11–16. Why must we reexamine our motives?

Note: “With many, the rubbish of the world has clogged the channels of the soul. Selfishness has controlled the mind and warped the character. Were the life hid with Christ in God, His service would be no drudgery. If the whole heart were consecrated to God, all would find something to do, and would covet a part in the work. They would sow beside all waters, praying and believing that the fruit would appear. The practical, God-fearing workers will be growing upward, praying in faith for grace and heavenly wisdom that they may do the work devolving upon them with cheerfulness and a willing mind.” The Review and Herald, December 19, 1878

Monday

2 THE KEYNOTE OF CHRIST’S TEACHINGS

2.a. What unfortunate contrast exists between Christ Himself and many of His professed followers today? Philippians 2:21

Note: “The plan of salvation was laid in a sacrifice so broad and deep and high that it is immeasurable. Christ did not send His angels to this fallen world, while He remained in heaven; but He Himself went without the camp, bearing the reproach. He became a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; Himself took our infirmities, and bore our weaknesses. And the absence of self-denial in His professed followers, God regards as a denial of the Christian name. Those who profess to be one with Christ, and indulge their selfish desires for rich and expensive clothing, furniture, and food, are Christians only in name. To be a Christian is to be Christlike.

“And yet how true are the words of the apostle: ‘For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s.’ Many Christians do not have works corresponding to the name they bear. They act as if they had never heard of the plan of redemption wrought out at infinite cost. The majority aim to make a name for themselves in the world; they adopt its forms and ceremonies, and live for the indulgence of self. They follow out their own purposes as eagerly as do the world, and thus they cut off their power to help in establishing the kingdom of God.” Counsels on Stewardship, 54

2.b. What heavenly principle does Christ enjoin upon all of His followers today, and why? Matthew 16:24–26

Note: “Those who would gain the blessing of sanctification must first learn the meaning of self-sacrifice. The cross of Christ is the central pillar on which hangs the ‘far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory’ (2 Corinthians 4:17). [Matthew 16:24 quoted.] It is the fragrance of our love for our fellowmen that reveals our love for God. It is patience in service that brings rest to the soul.” The Acts of the Apostles, 560

“We are to practice the same self-sacrifice that led Him [Christ] to give Himself up to the death of the cross, to make it possible for human beings to have eternal life.” Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 9, 49

Tuesday

3 LEARNING FROM THE APOSTLES

3.a. What was the secret of the apostle Paul’s fervent love for the souls of men? 2 Corinthians 4:15–18; 5:14, 15

Note: “How can those for whom Christ has sacrificed so much, continue to enjoy His gifts selfishly? His love and self-denial are without a parallel; and when this love enters into the experience of His followers, they will identify their interests with those of their Redeemer. Their work will be to build up the kingdom of Christ. They will consecrate themselves and their possessions to Him, and use both as His cause may require.” Counsels on Stewardship, 55

“The love of Jesus in the soul will be revealed in word and deed. The kingdom of Christ will be paramount. Self will be laid a willing sacrifice on the altar of God. Everyone who is truly united with Christ will feel the same love for souls that caused the Son of God to leave His royal throne, His high command, and for our sake become poor, that we through His poverty might be made rich.” Ibid.

3.b. Of what tendency does the apostle John warn believers, and how may this apply to us?
1 John 2:15–17

Note: “While many are waiting to have every obstacle removed, souls are dying without hope and without God in the world. Many, very many, for the sake of worldly advantage, for the sake of acquiring knowledge of the sciences, will venture into pestilential regions, and will go into countries where they think they can obtain commercial advantage; but where are the men and women who will change their location, and move their families into regions that are in need of the light of the truth, in order that their example may tell upon those who shall see in them the representatives of Christ?” Counsels on Stewardship, 56

Wednesday

4 A PURE, CONTENTED HEART

4.a. As servants of Christ, what should characterize our faith and why? Ephesians 6:6–8

Note: “Is there not danger that the precious, immortal inheritance may be eclipsed by the valueless treasure of earth? There is danger that your usefulness may be destroyed, your faith weakened, your soul-temple defiled with buyers and sellers. There is need that we keep our souls in the love of God. There is need of a closer connection with the Master, of walking in the light as He is in the light. It is our duty to place ourselves in a position where we may give our whole heart’s loving service to God, by personal holiness and practical benevolence.” The Review and Herald, June 19, 1888

4.b. Why did Christ reiterate the tenth commandment during His ministry? Exodus 20:17; Luke 12:15. How are we to gain victory in this area?

Note: “Christ is our example. He gave His life as a sacrifice for us, and He asks us to give our lives as a sacrifice for others. Thus we may cast out the selfishness which Satan is constantly striving to implant in our hearts. This selfishness is death to all piety, and can be overcome only by manifesting love to God and to our fellowmen. Christ will not permit one selfish person to enter the courts of heaven. No covetous person can pass through the pearly gates; for all covetousness is idolatry.” Counsels on Stewardship, 26

Thursday

5 RENDERING GENUINE SERVICE

5.a. Why can we be encouraged by the example of the early Christians in Macedonia? 2 Corinthians 8:1–5

Note: “Nearly all the Macedonian believers were poor in this world’s goods, but their hearts were overflowing with love for God and His truth, and they gladly gave for the support of the gospel. When general collections were taken up in the Gentile churches for the relief of the Jewish believers, the liberality of the converts in Macedonia was held up as an example to other churches.” The Acts of the Apostles, 343

5.b. How does Christ summarize our duty as believers? Mark 12:29–31. What happens as we put this principle into daily practice?

Note: “The whole being is to be consecrated to the service of the Master.” General Conference Bulletin, April 16, 1901

“No one can be truly united with Christ, practicing His lessons, submitting to His yoke of restraint, without realizing that which he can never express in words. New, rich thoughts come to him. Light is given to the intellect, determination to the will, sensitiveness to the conscience, purity to the imagination. The heart becomes more tender, the thoughts more spiritual, the service more Christlike. In the life there is seen that which no words can express—true, faithful, loving devotion of heart, mind, soul, and strength to the work of the Master.” Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 6, 476, 477

Friday

REVIEW AND THOUGHT QUESTIONS

1    How did the life of Job reflect the Spirit of Christ?

2    What common tendency must we overcome if we would be victorious?

3    What do Paul and John teach us about cultivating eternal values?

4    Why is covetousness so detrimental to our souls?

5    How is wholehearted service rewarded, even in this earthly life?

Copyright 1997, Reformation Herald Publishing Association, 5240 Hollins Road, Roanoke, Virginia 24019-5048, U.S.A.

The Ultimate Giver

by

July 6 – 12, 2025

Key Text

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.” James 1:17

Study Help: Counsels on Stewardship, 72; God’s Amazing Grace, 62

Introduction

“God is love. Like rays of light from the sun, love and light and joy flow out from Him to all His creatures. It is His nature to give. His very life is the outflow of unselfish love.” Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 77

Sunday

1 HALLMARKS OF GOD’S CHARACTER

1.a. What did God provide for man after bestowing upon him life itself? Genesis 2:7, 15. Why is this a blessing for us? Ecclesiastes 5:18

Note: “In the beginning He [the Lord] created man a gentleman; but though rich in all that the Owner of the universe could supply, Adam was not to be idle. No sooner was he created than his work was given him. He was to find employment and happiness in tending the things that God had created, and in response to his labor his wants were to be abundantly supplied from the fruits of the garden of Eden.” Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, 273, 274

1.b.      What daily evidences reveal God’s abundant love for us? Psalm 36:5–9; Acts 14:17

Note: “The power of God is manifested in the beating of the heart, in the action of the lungs, and in the living currents that circulate through the thousand different channels of the body. We are indebted to Him for every moment of existence, and for all the comforts of life. The powers and abilities that elevate man above the lower creation, are the endowment of the Creator.

“He loads us with His benefits. We are indebted to Him for the food we eat, the water we drink, the clothes we wear, the air we breathe. Without His special providence, the air would be filled with pestilence and poison. He is a bountiful benefactor and preserver.” Counsels on Stewardship, 17

“He [God] bestows life-giving properties on all that nature produces. We are to regard the trees laden with fruit as the gift of God, just as much as though He placed the fruit in our hands.” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Vol. 1, 1081

Monday

2 GOD’S GREATEST GIFTS

2.a. What is the greatest of God’s gifts? John 3:16; Ephesians 2:4–7

Note: “The natural world has, in itself, no power but that which God supplies. There is a personal God, the Father; there is a personal Christ, the Son.” Selected Messages, Book 1, 293

“Christ has purchased us by the price of His own blood. He has paid the purchase money for our redemption, and if we will lay hold upon the treasure, it is ours by the free gift of God.” Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 9, 245

2.b.      How does Christ identify His followers as a gift from the Father to Him? John 6:37–39; 17:24. Why should this fact encourage our hearts? James 1:17, 18

Note: “Because we are the gift of His Father, and the reward of His work, Jesus loves us. He loves us as His children. Reader, He loves you. Heaven itself can bestow nothing greater, nothing better.” The Desire of Ages, 483

“It is your privilege to trust in the love of Jesus for salvation, in the fullest, surest, noblest manner; to say, He loves me, He receives me; I will trust Him, for He gave His life for me. Nothing so dispels doubt as coming in contact with the character of Christ.” Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 517

Tuesday

3 WHO IS CHRIST?

3.a. As we reverence the heavenly Father as Creator, what should we also understand about Jesus Christ? Hebrews 1:1–3; John 1:1–3

Note: “If Christ made all things, He existed before all things. The words spoken in regard to this are so decisive that no one need be left in doubt. Christ was God essentially, and in the highest sense. He was with God from all eternity. God over all, blessed forevermore.” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Vol. 5, 1126

3.b.      Upon what basis is Christ entitled to our worship and discipleship? Ephesians 3:9; Philippians 2:5–10

Note: “The apostle Paul, writing by the Holy Spirit, declares of Christ that ‘all things have been created through Him, and unto Him; and He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together’ (Colossians 1:16, 17, R.V., margin). The hand that sustains the worlds in space, the hand that holds in their orderly arrangement and tireless activity all things throughout the universe of God, is the hand that was nailed to the cross for us.” Education, 132

Wednesday

4 A HEAVENLY PRINCIPLE

4.a. What fundamental concept should we learn from the example of Christ’s earthly life? Luke 22:27, last part; Hebrews 5:8; 12:2–4

Note: “The foundation of the plan of salvation was laid in sacrifice. Jesus left the royal courts and became poor, that we through His poverty might be made rich. All who share this salvation, purchased for them at such an infinite sacrifice by the Son of God, will follow the example of the true Pattern. Christ was the chief Cornerstone, and we must build upon this Foundation. Each must have a spirit of self-denial and self-sacrifice. The life of Christ upon earth was unselfish; it was marked with humiliation and sacrifice. And shall men, partakers of the great salvation which Jesus came from heaven to bring them, refuse to follow their Lord and to share in His self-denial and sacrifice?” Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 3, 387 [Author’s emphasis.]

4.b.      In what sense are we to gladly follow Christ’s example of sacrifice? 1 Peter 2:21; Romans 12:1, 2

Note:  “Christ sacrificed everything for man in order to make it possible for him to gain heaven. Now it is for fallen man to show what he will sacrifice on his own account for Christ’s sake, that he may win immortal glory. Those who have any just sense of the magnitude of salvation and of its cost will never murmur that their sowing must be in tears and that conflict and self-denial are the Christian’s portion in this life.” Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 3, 481

“A great lesson is learned when we understand our relation to God and His relation to us. The words, ‘Ye are not your own;’ ‘ye are bought with a price,’ should be hung in memory’s hall, that we may ever recognize God’s right to our talents, our property, our influence, our individual selves. We are to learn how to treat this gift of God, in mind, in soul, in body, that as Christ’s purchased possession we may do Him healthful savory service.” Medical Ministry, 276

Thursday

5 GRACE GRANTED

5.a. What is grace—and why is it essential to our salvation? Romans 5:6–9; Ephesians 2:8, 9

Note: “Grace is an attribute of God exercised toward undeserving human beings. We did not seek for it, but it was sent in search of us. God rejoices to bestow His grace upon us, not because we are worthy, but because we are so utterly unworthy. Our only claim to His mercy is our great need.” The Ministry of Healing, 161

“It was grace that sent our Saviour to seek us as wanderers and bring us back to the fold.” Selected Messages, Book 1, 332

5.b.      How should we respond to God’s bountiful grace? Ephesians 2:10; Titus 2:11–14

Note: “But are good works of no real value? Is the sinner who commits sin every day with impunity, regarded of God with the same favor as the one who through faith in Christ tries to work in his integrity? The Scripture answers, “We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” In His divine arrangement, through His unmerited favor, the Lord has ordained that good works shall be rewarded. We are accepted through Christ’s merit alone; and the acts of mercy, the deeds of charity, which we perform, are the fruits of faith; and they become a blessing to us; for men are to be rewarded according to their works. It is the fragrance of the merit of Christ that makes our good works acceptable to God, and it is grace that enables us to do the works for which He rewards us. Our works in and of themselves have no merit. When we have done all that it is possible for us to do, we are to count ourselves as unprofitable servants. We deserve no thanks from God. We have only done what it was our duty to do, and our works could not have been performed in the strength of our own sinful natures.” The Review and Herald, January 29, 1895

“All your good works cannot save you; but it is nevertheless impossible for you to be saved without good works. Every sacrifice made for Christ will be for your eternal gain.” Selected Messages, Book 3, 147

Friday

REVIEW AND THOUGHT QUESTIONS

1    Name some simple gifts of God bestowed from the days of Eden.

2    How does God’s greatest gift involve a reciprocal relationship?

3    Why is it important for us to understand who Christ really is?

4    What fundamental principle underlies the entire plan of salvation?

5    What power does grace give the redeemed in preparation for heaven?

Copyright 1997, Reformation Herald Publishing Association, 5240 Hollins Road, Roanoke, Virginia 24019-5048, U.S.A.

The Creator and Owner

by

Treasure in Heaven

June 29 – July 5, 2025

Key Text

“You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created.” Revelation 4:11

Study Help: Job 38; Selected Messages, Book 1, 290–295

Introduction

“Jehovah, the eternal, self-existent, uncreated One, Himself the Source and Sustainer of all, is alone entitled to supreme reverence and worship.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 305

Sunday

1 CREATOR AND MAINTAINER

1.a. What should we realize as we look upon the magnificent splendor of creation? Psalm 19:1–3; Isaiah 40:26

Note: “Wherever we turn, we hear the voice of God and behold His handiwork. From the solemn roll of the deep-toned thunder and old ocean’s ceaseless roar, to the glad songs that make the forests vocal with melody, nature’s ten thousand voices speak His praise. In earth and sea and sky, with their marvelous tint and color, varying in gorgeous contrast or blended in harmony, we behold His glory. The everlasting hills tell of His power. The trees that wave their green banners in the sunlight, and the flowers in their delicate beauty, point to their Creator.” Child Guidance, 53

“Some may suppose that these grand things in the natural world are God. They are not God. All these wonders in the heavens are only doing the work appointed them. They are the Lord’s agencies. God is the superintendent, as well as the Creator, of all things.” Selected Messages, Book 1, 294

1.b. What aspect of God’s omnipotence directly touches each of us daily? Acts 17:24–29

Note: “As regards this earth, Scripture declares the work of creation to have been completed. ‘The works were finished from the foundation of the world’ (Hebrews 4:3). But the power of God is still exercised in upholding the objects of His creation. It is not because the mechanism once set in motion continues to act by its own inherent energy that the pulse beats, and breath follows breath. Every breath, every pulsation of the heart, is an evidence of the care of Him in whom we live and move and have our being. From the smallest insect to man, every living creature is daily dependent upon His providence.” Education, 130, 131

“The Divine Being is engaged in upholding the things that He has created. The same hand that holds the mountains and balances them in position, guides the worlds in their mysterious march around the sun.” Selected Messages, Book, 1, 294

Monday

2 WORTHY OF REVERENCE

2.a. What facts show that God is unique in deserving our worship? Psalm 33:8, 9; Jeremiah 10:9–13 

Note: “God’s claim to reverence and worship, above the gods of the heathen, is based upon the fact that He is the Creator, and that to Him all other beings owe their existence.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 336

2.b. What questions should inspire us with reverence for God? Job 11:7; 38:1–7. How does this reverence promote the salvation of our souls?

Note: “Divine inspiration asks many questions which the most profound scholar cannot answer. These questions were not asked, supposing that we could answer them, but to call our attention to the deep mysteries of God, and to make men know that their wisdom is limited; that in the common things of daily life there are mysteries past the comprehension of finite minds; that the judgment and purposes of God are past finding out, His wisdom unsearchable. If He reveals Himself to man, it is by shrouding Himself in the thick cloud of mystery.

“God’s purpose is to conceal more of Himself than He makes known to man. Could men fully understand the ways and works of God, they would not then believe Him to be the infinite One. He is not to be comprehended by man in His wisdom, and reasons, and purposes. ‘His ways are past finding out’ (Romans 11:33). His love can never be explained upon natural principles. If this could be done, we would not feel that we could trust Him with the interests of our souls. Skeptics refuse to believe, because with their finite minds they cannot comprehend the infinite power by which God reveals Himself to men. Even the mechanism of the human body cannot be fully understood; it presents mysteries that baffle the most intelligent.” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Vol. 3, 1141

Tuesday

3 TRUE OWNERSHIP

3.a. What principle has God always wanted for man to understand regarding the ownership of property? Psalm 50:7, 10–12

Note: “The Lord sought to teach Israel that in everything He must be first. Thus, they were reminded that God was the proprietor of their fields, their flocks, and their herds; that it was He who sent them the sunshine and the rain that developed and ripened the harvest. Everything that they possessed was His.” The Acts of the Apostles, 337

3.b. How extensive is God’s property? Psalm 24:1, 2; Deuteronomy 10:14. What does this mean to us? Revelation 4:11

Note: “Consider that there is only one Proprietor of the universe, and that every man, with his time, his intellect, his resources, belongs to the One who has paid the ransom for the soul. God has a righteous claim to constant service and supreme affection. God’s will, not your pleasure, is to be your criterion.” Selected Messages, Book 2, 137

Wednesday

4 WHO HAS DOMINION?

4.a. To whom did God entrust dominion over His earthly goods? Genesis 1:26–28. Why is this such an honor to the human race? Psalm 8:1, 3–8

Note: “He who set the starry worlds on high and tinted with delicate skill the flowers of the field, who filled the earth and the heavens with the wonders of His power, when He came to crown His glorious work, to place one in the midst to stand as ruler of the fair earth, did not fail to create a being worthy of the hand that gave him life. The genealogy of our race, as given by inspiration, traces back its origin, not to a line of developing germs, mollusks, and quadrupeds, but to the great Creator. Though formed from the dust, Adam was ‘the son of God.’ ” Patriarchs and Prophets, 45

4.b. Because of Adam’s fall, what did the deceiver boast to Christ? Luke 4:5, 6. When is Christ’s dominion over this planet to be fully recovered? Daniel 7:13, 14; Micah 4:8

Note: “When Satan declared to Christ, The kingdom and glory of the world are delivered unto me, and to whomsoever I will I give it, he stated what was true only in part, and he declared it to serve his own purpose of deception. Satan’s dominion was that wrested from Adam, but Adam was the vicegerent of the Creator. His was not an independent rule. The earth is God’s, and He has committed all things to His Son. Adam was to reign subject to Christ. When Adam betrayed his sovereignty into Satan’s hands, Christ still remained the rightful King. Thus, the Lord had said to King Nebuchadnezzar, ‘The Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever He will’ (Daniel 4:17). Satan can exercise his usurped authority only as God permits.” The Desire of Ages, 129, 130

“As the Son of man, Christ would stand loyal to God. Thus, it would be shown that Satan had not gained complete control of the human race, and that his claim to the world was false. All who desired deliverance from his power would be set free. The dominion that Adam had lost through sin would be recovered.” Ibid., 115

Thursday

5 STEWARDSHIP ENTRUSTED

5.a. Whenever any degree of dominion—great or small—is entrusted to us, what admonition are we to heed? Deuteronomy 8:11–18

Note: “We should regard ourselves as stewards of the Lord’s property and God as the supreme proprietor, to whom we are to render His own when He shall require it.” Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 4, 480, 481

5.b.      What message bears special force in these final days just before our Lord’s return? Luke 19:11–13

Note: “God calls us servants, which implies that we are employed by Him to do a certain work and bear certain responsibilities. He has lent us capital for investment. It is not our property, and we displease God if we hoard up our Lord’s goods or spend them as we please. …

“Every talent which returns to the Master will be scrutinized. The doings and trusts of God’s servants will not be considered an unimportant matter. Every individual will be dealt with personally and will be required to give an account of the talents entrusted to him, whether he has improved or abused them. The reward bestowed will be proportionate to the improvement of the talents. The punishment awarded will be according as the talents have been abused.

“The inquiry of each one should be: What have I of my Lord’s, and how shall I use it to His glory? ‘Occupy,’ says Christ, ‘till I come.’ The heavenly Master is on His journey. Our gracious opportunity is now. The talents are in our hands. Shall we use them to God’s glory, or shall we abuse them? We may trade with them today, but tomorrow our probation may end and our account be forever fixed.” Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 2, 668 [Author’s emphasis.]

Friday

REVIEW AND THOUGHT QUESTIONS

1    What facts reveal that our Creator is also our Sustainer?

2    Why is God alone worthy to be worshiped?

3    How should we respond when we consider that God owns everything, and that He entrusted dominion of the earth to man?

4    What should we understand about Satan’s usurped authority?

5    What temptation comes to each of us when entrusted with goods?

Copyright 1997, Reformation Herald Publishing Association, 5240 Hollins Road, Roanoke, Virginia 24019-5048, U.S.A.

Recipe – Flourless Strawberry Apple Breakfast Crisp

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Strawberries

Strawberries are the only fruit with seeds on the outside. Berry seeds are on the inside, so strawberries really aren’t true berries.

The average strawberry has 200 seeds. Each seed is considered by botanists to be its own separate fruit. Most strawberry plants reproduce from runners despite the fact that seeds can grow into plants.

Strawberries are low fat, low calorie, high in vitamin C, fiber, folic acid, and potassium. Strawberries contain more vitamin C than oranges. As part of a 5-a-day fruit and vegetable program, they can help reduce the risk of cancer and heart attacks.

Eating strawberries, which are rich in nitrate, can increase the flow of blood and oxygen to the muscles by 7 percent. This prevents muscle fatigue, making exercise easier, helping the muscles work more proficiently. In a test, subjects who ate nitrate rich foods like strawberries before exercising burned 100 more calories than those who did not.

Ninety-four percent of U.S. households consume strawberries. Over 53% of seven to nine-year-olds picked strawberries as their favorite fruit.

 www.londonstrawberryfestival.com/strawberry-fun-facts.html

Recipe – Flourless Strawberry Apple Breakfast Crisp

Ingredients

Filling:

3 large Granny Smith apples, chopped

2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced; or cherries, rhubarb, or fruit of choice

1/4 cup Sucanat, or sweetener of choice

1/8-1/4 tsp. ground cardamon

1/4 tsp. salt

1 Tbs. lemon juice

1 Tbs. + 1 tsp. arrowroot powder or cornstarch

1/2 tsp. vanilla powder

Topping:

1 cup almonds, or nuts of choice

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/8 cup Sucanat, or sweetener of choice

1 Tbs. maple syrup, optional

2 Tbs. olive oil

1/4 tsp. vanilla powder

pinch of salt

Process

Spray a casserole dish with oil. Place apples and strawberries in a bowl and add the rest of the filling ingredients. Stir well. Into a food processor, process almonds until chunky. Add the rest of the topping ingredients and pulse for a couple seconds until just mixed, keeping mixture chunky. Take ½ cup of the topping mixture and stir into the apple filling mixture. Pour the topping/apple mixture into a prepared casserole dish and sprinkle on the remaining topping. Cover, keep covered, and bake at 375°F for about 35-40 minutes.

Unguarded Avenues

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John Swinton, a Scottish-American journalist and the chief editorial writer of the New York Times during the 1860s, made the following remarks to his fellow journalists at a banquet given in his honor in 1880: “There is no such thing, at this date of the world’s history, in America, as an independent press. You know it and I know it.

“There is not one of you who dares to write your honest opinions, and if you did, you know beforehand that it would never appear in print. I am paid weekly for keeping my honest opinion out of the paper I am connected with. Others of you are paid similar salaries for similar things, and any of you who would be so foolish as to write honest opinions would be out on the streets looking for another job. If I allowed my honest opinions to appear in one issue of my paper, before 24 hours my occupation would be gone.

“The business of the journalist is to destroy the truth, to lie outright, to pervert, to vilify, to fawn at the feet of mammon, and to sell his country and his race for his daily bread. You know it and I know it, and what folly is this toasting an independent press?

“We are the tools and vassals of rich men behind the scenes. We are the jumping jacks, they pull the strings and we dance. Our talents, our possibilities and our lives are all the property of other men. We are intellectual prostitutes.” (Source: Labor’s Untold Story, by Richard O. Boyer and Herbert M. Morais, published by United Electrical, Radio & Machine Workers of America, NY, 1955/1979.)

This is quite an honest admission of the truth. It provides us with the sad reality that we are but a deteriorating mass of humanity. I think it would be safe to say that most, if not all of us, are affected by the media in one way or another. Massive technological advancements in the media industry have occurred from 1880 until now, and we no longer deal only with the written page, but also Silicon Valley media ammunitions. This media empire is, with great success, the shaper of the human population’s world view at this present time.

In his book Secret Societies and Psychological Warfare, Michael A. Hoffman II tells us of the plan for the reshaping of our minds.

“The battle for the mind of North America will be fought in the video arena, the videodrome.” (p. 92.)

“If we consider the hours in a day most Americans spend in front of a TV and add to that the hours children spend immersed in the digital world of videogames and add to that their forthcoming immersion in computer-simulated worlds of supposed ‘history’ and ‘travel’ in their schools, we see the gradual creation of a population of dwellers-in-perpetual-illusion.” (p. 94.)

A former Amway Crown Direct distributor Bunny Marks concluded, “What you see is what you’ll be.”

In the first part of this fourth deadly sin which God hates (LandMarks May 2025 issue, Wicked Imaginations), we discovered that the majority of people who are living today have “a heart that deviseth wicked imaginations” (Proverbs 6:18). They allow their minds to become the devil’s workshop by cherishing “wicked imaginations” or “thoughts of iniquity.” It was made clear that we must strictly guard the avenues to our souls, especially our eyes and ears, because Satan will use these senses, if left unguarded, to bring about our ruin.

As we examine in a deeper way this fourth deadly sin, I would like to share with you some alarming statistics that will help us to understand just how very serious Mr. Swinton’s assertions are for us today. Social media, while it can be beneficial to us, is also used by the devil to disconnect people from Jesus Christ and destroy the Christian religion.

  • The United States—a self-declared Christian nation—is the largest producer and exporter of hardcore pornographic DVDs and web material. According to British authorities, there are at least 4.5 million porn sites, of which more than half are located in the US.
  • More than 40 million Americans are regular visitors to porn sites. The average visit lasts six minutes and 29 seconds.
  • The porn industry’s annual revenue is more than the NFL, NBA, and MLB combined. It is also more than the combined revenues of ABC, CBS, and NBC.
  • 47% of families in the US reported that pornography is a problem in their home.
  • Pornography use increases the marital infidelity rate by more than 300%.
  • Eleven is the average age that a child is first exposed to porn, and 94% of children will see porn by the age of 14.
  • On average, teenagers spend five hours and 38 minutes online every day. Nearly half of teens admit to taking action to hide their online behavior from parents.
  • 56% of American divorces involve one party having an “obsessive interest” in pornographic websites.
  • 70% of Christian youth pastors report that they have had at least one teenager come to them for help in dealing with pornography in the past 12 months.
  • 68% of churchgoing men and more than 50% of pastors view porn on a regular basis. Of young Christian adults ages 18-24, 76% actively search for porn.
  • 59% of pastors said married men seek their help for porn use.
  • 33% of women ages 25 and under search for porn at least once per month.
  • Only 13% of self-identified Christian women say they never watch porn—87% of Christian women have watched porn.
  • 55% of married men and 25% of married women say they watch porn at least once a month.
  • 57% of pastors say porn addiction is the most damaging issue in their congregation. And 69% say porn has adversely impacted the church.
  • $3,075.64 is spent on porn every second on the internet. The United States was the country with the most traffic in 2019.
  • According to a Gallup poll taken in June 2018, “More than four in 10 Americans (43%) now say pornography is morally acceptable.”
  • In 2008, a survey of more than 560 college students was taken. It revealed:
  • 69% of boys and 55% of girls have seen same-sex intercourse on line.
  • 32% of boys and 18% of girls have seen bestiality online.
  • 88% of scenes in porn films contain acts of physical aggression, and 49% of scenes contain verbal aggression.
  • Those who frequently consume Internet pornography are less likely to marry because they see pornography as a marital sexual gratification substitute.
  • 70% of wives of sex addicts could be diagnosed with PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder).
  • 82% of tweens (a child between the ages of 10 and 12) and 94.50% of teens expressed or experienced violent subject matter/thoughts.
  • 09% of tweens and 74.61% of teens were involved in a self-harm/suicidal situation.
  • 35% of tweens and 93.31% of teens engaged in conversations surrounding drugs/alcohol.

These statistics are very troubling because they illustrate how what we look at and listen to affects our minds and behavior.

The Minnesota Human Trafficking Task Force recently found 46 published research studies demonstrating that exposure to pornography puts individuals at increased risk for committing sexual offenses.

An article in the April 15, 2018, Christianity Today magazine entitled, “3 Ways Social Media Endangers a Christian’s Life” reveals why it is important that Christians guard the avenues to their souls.

  • It allows room for secret sin. Here’s the most dangerous effect of all: social media is a perfect breeding ground for secret sin.
  • Handled the wrong way, it will steal precious time.
  • It pollutes the mind.

In We Become What We Watch, Abigail Dodd made the following remarks:

“J. Gresham Machen says, ‘When any new fact enters the human mind it must proceed to make itself at home; it must proceed to introduce itself to the previous denizens (occupants) of the house. That process of introduction of new facts is called thinking. And, contrary to what seems to be quite generally supposed, thinking cannot be avoided by the Christian.’

“Whether we are reflecting on a fact at any given moment or not, we are always thinking, and that thinking shapes us in profound ways. … whenever new facts enter our mind, we are engaged in a type of thinking—whether we want to be or not. Watching shows is one of the most passive forms of thinking, which makes it one of the most powerful. Because we are not engaged in active thinking, we allow any number of morally-suspect thoughts to enter our mind unhindered. These thoughts immediately get comfortable in their new home. … To say this is a cunning move by our adversary is an understatement. Under the guise of entertainment, evil thoughts often move into our minds and entrench themselves unopposed.” [Author’s emphasis.]

“Your imagination was not given you to be allowed to run riot and have its own way without any effort at restraint or discipline. If the thoughts are wrong, the feelings will be wrong; and the thoughts and feelings combined make up the moral character. When you decide that as Christians you are not required to restrain your thoughts and feelings, you are brought under the influence of evil angels and invite their presence and their control.” Mind, Character, and Personality, Vol. 2, 593

Mrs. White is very clear that our thoughts and feelings shape our characters. She also highlights one particular way that the imagination is corrupted.

“Among the most dangerous resorts for pleasure is the theater. Instead of being a school of morality and virtue, as is so often claimed, it is the very hotbed of immorality. Vicious habits and sinful propensities are strengthened and confirmed by these entertainments. Low songs, lewd gestures, expressions, and attitudes, deprave the imagination and debase the morals. Every youth who habitually attends such exhibitions will be corrupted in principle. There is no influence in our land more powerful to poison the imagination, to destroy religious impressions, and to blunt the relish for the tranquil pleasures and sober realities of life than theatrical amusements. The love for these scenes increases with every indulgence, as the desire for intoxicating drinks strengthens with its use. The only safe course is to shun the theater, the circus, and every other questionable place of amusement.” Testimonies, Vol. 4, 652, 653

The imagination is the vehicle by which the mind becomes depraved.

“The heart is corrupted through the imagination. The mind takes pleasure in contemplating scenes which awaken the lower and baser passions. These vile images, seen through defiled imagination, corrupt the morals and prepare the deluded, infatuated beings to give loose rein to lustful passions. Then follow sins and crimes which drag beings formed in the image of God down to a level with the beasts, sinking them at last in perdition. Avoid reading and seeing things which will suggest impure thoughts.” Ibid., Vol. 2, 410

Corinth, being a metropolis, was a center of all manner of immorality and sexual perversion. The Corinthian church was surrounded and likewise affected by such corrupting influences, resulting in a very serious problem; the Corinthians impure and immoral thoughts translated into impure and immoral actions. The apostle Paul had to address the church members about this matter.

“It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife.” 1 Corinthians 5:1

“Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body. … Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.” 1 Corinthians 6:13, 18

“Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.” 1 Corinthians 10:8

“And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed.” 2 Corinthians 12:21

The word fornication used here by Paul, is the Greek word porneia from which we get the English word pornography. “The word pornography is composed of two Greek words. The first is porne, meaning “harlot,” which is akin to the word pernanai, meaning “to sell.” The second word is graphein, meaning “to write.” In other words, pornography is literally “the writing of harlots.” (Source: Richard & Linda Sauer, Pornography: A Distortion of God’s Plan, March 29, 2007.)

“The tentacles of pornography have invaded almost every area of our lives through TV, movies, sports, music, the arts, the news media, video gaming, marketing, magazines, and the Internet. Differing degrees and aspects of pornography are everywhere. Many of these far-reaching tentacles go unnoticed and are even embraced by mainstream Americans—Christians and non-Christians alike. What once was considered unacceptable has become completely commonplace.” Ibid., 1

We must heed Peter’s warning.

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” 1 Peter 5:8

Eve sinned because:

  • She provided an opportunity for the evil one.
  • She was curious.
  • She questioned God’s word.
  • Her thoughts resulted in disobedience.
  • She became corrupted.

Satan appealed to Eve’s senses and played with her imagination. Consequently, she laid aside God’s word, believed a lie, and sin entered this planet! (See Genesis 3:1–7; Patriarchs and Prophets, 55.)

Helen Howarth Lemmel appeals to us in her song Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus.

“Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.”

“Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.” Isaiah 45:22

Pastor Ivan Plummer ministers through the Emmanuel Seventh Day Church Ministries in Bronx, New York. He may be contacted by telephone at 718-882-3900.

Free Radicals and Antioxidants

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Our bodies are infinitely complex and to be healthy, our many complex systems desire to be in balance. Free radicals interfere with the balance our body cells strive for, and are associated with such things as aging skin, cancer, autoimmune diseases, cataracts, rheumatoid arthritis, cardiovascular disease, ulcers, emphysema, macular degeneration, and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. They are highly reactive and unstable molecules. These radicals have an imbalance in the electrons, meaning one or more electrons do not have a pair, making it unstable. They have a very short lifespan of only a fraction of a second, but what damage they can do in that short time. Because of the unpaired electrons, they react with other balanced molecules in the body by taking one of their electrons. The new molecule is then unstable and will attempt to “steal” an electron from another stable molecule, making it unstable and the cascade of “stealing” an electron is repeated time and time again. This cascade can result in high levels of free radicals and cause damage to surrounding cells, organs, and can even cause DNA mutations.

DNA is the genetic material responsible for producing the proteins that guide all processes and structures in the body. Damaged DNA will try to reproduce the cells that comprise our bodies; but being damaged, they will not make healthy cells. Free radicals are made by the body as a byproduct of normal metabolism and in response to stress and inflammation. Free radicals can also be made by the body after exposure to toxins in the environment such as tobacco smoke, environmental pollutants, ultraviolet light, some metals, some drugs, some viruses, pesticides, industrial solvents, ozone and radiation, and after an extreme, intense workout. Diets high in refined sugar and simple carbohydrates, as well as preservatives found in food can also increase free radicals. A high number and availability of free radicals creates oxidative stress. Occurring silently, oxidative stress causes damage to and even the death of healthy cells.

As you now understand, free radicals can be, in excessive numbers, nasty little molecules, and as is so often true, prevention is better than a cure. So, how can we prevent an excessive number of free radicals and ultimately, oxidative stress?

First, limit the number of free radicals from entering the body.

  • Do not smoke. Avoid second-hand smoke as much as possible.
  • Avoid alcohol intake.
  • Limit your time in the sun, properly using non-toxic sunscreen and protective clothing.
  • Learn to remove yourself from unnecessary stress and manage the stress you are unable to avoid.
  • Avoid environmental pollution as much as possible.

Second, consume enough antioxidants to keep the free radicals from taking over. Our body actually makes some antioxidants, but not enough to neutralize all the free radicals. So, what is an antioxidant?

Antioxidants are unstable molecules, and, like free radicals, antioxidants have unpaired electrons in their molecules. But unlike free radicals, antioxidants don’t typically steal from otherwise stable molecules to become stable. They will freely give up an electron to a free radical and both molecules are then stable, greatly decreasing the likelihood of causing damage. They are therefore sometimes referred to as free radical scavengers. These key free radical scavengers can be obtained by eating an antioxidant-rich diet comprised of good quantities of these vitamin-rich foods high in antioxidant:

Vitamin C: broccoli, Brussels sprouts, blueberries, cauliflower, cantaloupe, grapefruit, leafy greens, kale, strawberries, sweet potatoes, bell peppers, tomatoes, and citrus fruits.

Vitamin E: almonds, avocado, sunflower seeds, oatmeal, legumes, peanuts, red pepper, and leafy greens.

Beta carotene: apricots, cantaloupe, mangos, carrots, asparagus, beets, kale, mangoes, oranges, peaches, pink grapefruit, pumpkin, squash, tomatoes, tangerines, and watermelon.

Selenium: brown rice, onions, Brazil nuts, chia seeds, oatmeal, whole wheat bread, barley, lentils, navy beans, sunflower seeds, and flax seeds.

Zinc: oatmeal, tofu, sesame, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, chickpeas, lentils, cashews, garbanzo beans, peanuts, almonds, and pecans.

Phenolic compounds: apples, onions, berries, grapes, peanuts, and spices, including oregano, thyme, and rosemary.

We need to remember that antioxidants are unstable molecules, so an overabundance of antioxidants can potentially be damaging, too. Obtaining antioxidants from supplements can be problematic. “Food-first is always the best way to go in terms of getting proper antioxidant.” Anthony DiMarino, RD, (verywellhealth.com+2). This is one reason why a diet rich in vegetables and fruits has been linked with a lower risk of many diseases.

Third, is to combat free radicals through other healthy lifestyle choices including adequate rest, activity, and water consumption are helpful.

Improve your health and prevent premature aging and disease by avoiding dangerous free radicals whenever possible, and developing a healthy lifestyle that includes a diet high in fruits, vegetables, beans, legumes, and seeds.

Sources: health.clevelandclinic.org/free-radicals; verywellhealth.com/information-about-free-radicals-2249103; mdanderson.org/cancerwise/what-are-free-radicals-a-dietician-explains; cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/diet-antioxidents-fact-sheet; naturallivingfamily.com/health-nutrition/chia-seeds-and-diabetes; clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/oxidative-stress; medicinenet.com/what_are_free_radicals_and_why_are_they_bad/article; Are+there+foods+that+increase+free+radicals

The Monarch

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There are 17,500 species of butterflies in the world. Approximately 550 species can be found in the United States. Butterflies are an important part of nature because they supply food for birds and are pretty pollinators.

Possibly the most well-known species is the Monarch. Those of us of a certain age, can remember a time when monarch butterflies were everywhere. We would go outside with our butterfly nets and chase them all around the yard until we finally caught one.

Did You Know? Aside from their favorite food, milkweed, these are the best flowers to attract butterflies to your yard: dill, blazing star, hibiscus, flowering dogwood, lilac, and parsley, to name a few.

The monarch has a four-stage life cycle: egg, caterpillar, pupa (chrysalis), and adult, which can be five weeks, two to six weeks, or six to nine months. It doesn’t matter which life stage the butterfly is in, when winter comes, it will enter a dormant (hibernative) state similar to mammal hibernation. Butterflies must stay cold and dry while dormant. If disturbed during this state, it might wake up too soon and die. Left undisturbed, most butterflies will hibernate until the beginning of March. Since butterflies in the caterpillar state can only consume certain plants, and it is important that those plants are nearby and are blooming when they wake up so they can begin to eat right away.

Monarchs lay their eggs on the milkweed plant. This plant is its only source of food. The monarch lays only one egg at a time, but over a couple of weeks, she can lay as many as 700 eggs. As you can imagine, the eggs, white and round, are extremely small. The butterfly larva remains in the egg for less than a week. When it “hatches,” it is in the caterpillar stage and remains a caterpillar for two more weeks. During this time, it molts and sheds its skin as many as five times. It also goes through multiple growth spurts and will eat its body weight in milkweed. It grows until it becomes a two-inch long caterpillar. Now it is ready to find a safe, quiet place to form its chrysalis.

The caterpillar forms a small green chrysalis—great camouflage—on a leaf or plant. They remain in the chrysalis for two weeks. You can know when the butterfly is about to emerge when the chrysalis has changed from green to brown.

Did You Know? A butterfly rests with its wings closed, while a moth rests with them spread out. Moths are dull in coloring, but butterflies are vibrant in color. Butterflies are diurnal, and moths are nocturnal.

Finally, the monarch hatches from its chrysalis. Its wings are folded and damp. It takes a little while for them to dry off. Once dry, the female monarch is ready to reproduce. The males need a couple extra days. Their wings are covered in scales and this is what gives them their colorful wings.

When monarchs migrate, it is a long and amazing trip and can consist of as many as five generations of butterflies. Over two months, monarchs will fly approximately 2,000 miles south—a staggering trek—to Mexico and the southern U.S.. This generation lives two to nine months because they spend most of that time flying and hibernating, but this generation is also responsible for the subsequent generations that will keep the life cycle of the monarch going, flying north at the end of winter to lay their eggs.

Sadly, butterflies are decreasing in number—22% in the last 20 years—resulting in the decline of other insects as well.

Sources: birdsandblooms.com/gardening/attracting-butterflies/monarch-migration-magic; ecokidsplanet.co.uk/blogs/news/science-in-the-park-how-do-butterflies-survive-winter; a-z-animals.com/how-long-do-monarch-butterflies-live; activewild.com/difference-between-moth-and-butterfly; usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/03/06/us-butterfly-population-decline/81350506007 thespruce.com/plants-for-butterflies-8606986