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Bible Study Guides – Behavior and Underlying Motives

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Faithful Stewardship

August 29 – September 4, 2021

Key Text

“[Charity] doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own” (1 Corinthians 13:5).

Study Help: Testimonies, vol. 2, 50–60.

Introduction

“The road to paradise is not one of self-exaltation but of repentance, confession, humiliation, of faith and obedience.” The Review and Herald, December 23, 1890.

Sunday

1  WATCHING OUR BEHAVIOR

1.a. Name one characteristic of charity, as far as general behavior is concerned. 1 Corinthians 13:5, first part.

1.b. What examples of unseemly behavior should we take as a warning? Galatians 2:11–13; James 2:1–4, 8, 9.

1.c. How is the faithful steward warned against other types of unseemly behavior? Proverbs 14:29; 18:23, last part.

Note: “One class have come up without self-control; they have not bridled the temper or the tongue; and some of these claim to be Christ’s followers, but they are not. Jesus has set them no such example. When they have the meekness and lowliness of the Saviour, they will not act out the promptings of the natural heart, for this is of Satan. Some are nervous, and if they begin to lose self-control in word or spirit under provocation, they are as much intoxicated with wrath as the inebriate is with liquor. They are unreasonable and not easily persuaded or convinced. They are not sane; Satan for the time has full control. Every one of these exhibitions of wrath weakens the nervous system and the moral powers, and makes it difficult to restrain anger or another provocation. With this class there is only one remedy—positive self-control under all circumstances.” The Youth’s Instructor, November 10, 1886.

Monday

2  CHARITABLE PRUDENCE

2.a. How are we exhorted to develop a Christlike demeanor, especially toward those who may provoke us unjustly? James 1:19–21; Proverbs 15:1; 19:11.

Note: “He [Christ] was wrongfully accused, yet He opened not His mouth to justify Himself. How many now, when accused of that of which they are not guilty, feel that there is a time when forbearance ceases to be a virtue, and losing their temper, speak words which grieve the Holy Spirit.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 4, 1148.

“If pride and selfishness were laid aside, five minutes would remove most difficulties. Angels have been grieved and God displeased by the hours which have been spent in justifying self.” Early Writings, 119.

2.b. How does the faithful steward display charitable prudence? Acts 9:36–39.

Note: “At Joppa, which was near Lydda, there lived a woman named Dorcas, whose good deeds had made her greatly beloved. She was a worthy disciple of Jesus, and her life was filled with acts of kindness. She knew who needed comfortable clothing and who needed sympathy, and she freely ministered to the poor and the sorrowful. Her skillful fingers were more active than her tongue.” The Acts of the Apostles, 131.

“Preaching is a small part of the work to be done for the salvation of souls. God’s Spirit convicts sinners of the truth, and He places them in the arms of the church. The ministers may do their part, but they can never perform the work that the church should do. God requires His church to nurse those who are young in faith and experience, to go to them, not for the purpose of gossiping with them, but to pray, to speak unto them words that are ‘like apples of gold in pictures of silver’ (Proverbs 25:11). …

“It is the duty of God’s children to be missionaries for Him, to become acquainted with those who need help. If one is staggering under temptation, his case should be taken up carefully and managed wisely; for his eternal interest is at stake, and the words and acts of those laboring for him may be a savor of life unto life, or of death unto death.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 69.

Tuesday

3 WHOM DO YOU REALLY LOVE?

3.a. When does true love for others become rare—and how is this problem to be overcome? Matthew 24:12; Revelation 2:2–4; Hebrews 12:2–4.

Note: “The love of God has been waning in the church, and as a result, the love of self has sprung up into new activity. With the loss of love for God there has come the loss of love for the brethren.” The Review and Herald, March 20, 1894.

“Let this life, so stormy with conflicts and worries, be brought into connection with Christ, and then self will no longer clamor for the supremacy.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 3, 1161.

“Pride and self-worship cannot flourish in the soul that keeps fresh in memory the scenes of Calvary.” The Desire of Ages, 661.

3.b. What is a great reason that makes the faithful steward shine in this world? 1 Corinthians 10:24.

Note: “Unselfishness, the principle of God’s kingdom, is the principle that Satan hates; its very existence he denies. From the beginning of the great controversy he has endeavored to prove God’s principles of action to be selfish, and he deals in the same way with all who serve God. To disprove Satan’s claim is the work of Christ and of all who bear His name.

“It was to give in His own life an illustration of unselfishness that Jesus came in the form of humanity. And all who accept this principle are to be workers together with Him in demonstrating it in practical life. To choose the right because it is right; to stand for truth at the cost of suffering and sacrifice—‘this is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of Me, saith the Lord’ (Isaiah 54:17).” Education, 154, 155.

“In heaven none will think of self, nor seek their own pleasure; but all, from pure, genuine love, will seek the happiness of the heavenly beings around them. If we wish to enjoy heavenly society in the earth made new, we must be governed by heavenly principles here.” Testimonies, vol. 2, 132, 133.

Wednesday

4 WORDS OF CAUTION

4.a. What should the faithful steward consider in choosing priorities? 1 John 2:15–17.

Note: “If all the money that is used extravagantly, for needless things, were placed in the treasury of God, we should see men and women and youth giving themselves to Jesus, and doing their part to co-operate with Christ and angels. The richest blessing of God would come into our churches, and many souls would be converted to the truth.” The Review and Herald, December 23, 1890.

“When the cases of all come in review before God, the question, What did they profess? will not be asked, but, What have they done? Have they been doers of the word? Have they lived for themselves, or have they been exercised in works of benevolence, in deeds of kindness and love, preferring others before themselves, and denying themselves that they might bless others? … Christ has been grieved and wounded by your marked selfish love and your indifference to the woes and needs of others.” Testimonies, vol. 3, 525.

4.b. What unfortunate attitude can affect all of us who are entrusted with great light—and to obtain victory, what must we realize? Isaiah 58:2–4, 10–12.

Note: “In our work we shall find a high profession of piety and much outward exactness bound up with great inward wickedness. The people represented in Isaiah 58 complain that the Lord allows their services to go unnoticed. This complaint is the expression of hearts unsubdued by grace, rebellious against the truth.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 4, 1148, 1149.

“Many receive applause for virtues which they do not possess. The Searcher of hearts weighs the motives, and often deeds highly applauded by men are recorded by Him as springing from selfishness and base hypocrisy. Every act of our lives, whether excellent and praiseworthy, or deserving of censure, is judged by the Searcher of hearts according to the motives which prompted it.” Gospel Workers, 275.

Thursday

5 FOLLOWING CHRIST IN SELF-DENIAL

5.a. What principle is basic to genuine Christian service? Acts 20:35.

 Note: “There is a work to be done in our cities—work to be done in every place. God will take men from the plow, from the sheepfold, from the vineyard, and will put them in the place of those who think that they must have the highest wages. Those who grasp for high wages will find in the money they get all the reward they will ever receive. Such ones cannot be expected to feel a burden for the salvation of perishing souls. The Lord cannot use such ones in His work. Until they banish selfishness from their hearts, their efforts are worthless.” The Review and Herald, December 15, 1904.

“The heavenly intelligences can cooperate with him who is seeking, not to exalt self, but to save souls.” The Desire of Ages, 436.

5.b. What should inspire the faithful steward with pure, fresh motivation for service? 2 Corinthians 8:8, 9.

Note: “Jesus left His home in glory, clothed His divinity with humanity, and came to a world marred and polluted by the curse of sin. He might have remained in His heavenly home, and received the adoration of angels; but He came to earth to seek and save the lost, the perishing. ‘For your sakes He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich’ (2 Corinthians 8:9). He, the Majesty of heaven, who was one with the Father, denied Himself, made every possible sacrifice, in order that man might not perish, but have everlasting life. Christ lived not to please Himself. If He had pleased Himself, where would we be today?” The Review and Herald, December 23, 1890.

Friday

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

  1. How might we be guilty of behaving unseemly?
  2. What can we learn about charity from Christ and His followers?
  3. How is a vibrant love for Christ to be manifested in us?
  4. Why must we always examine our own priorities and motives?
  5. What should we do to more fervently promote God’s work?

Copyright 2011, Reformation Herald Publishing Association, 5240 Hollins Road, Roanoke, Virginia 24019-5048, U.S.A.

Recipe – Cucumber Salad

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What am I? Fruit or Vegetable?

The cucumber is a creeping vine plant of the Cucurbitaceae gourd family that bears cucuminform fruit. It originated in South Asia, but now grows on most continents. There are three main varieties of cucumber – slicing, pickling and burpless/seedless. The cucumber roots in the ground and grows up supporting frames by wrapping around or it will simply sprawl along the ground. It has large leaves that form a canopy over the fruit. While the cucumber is classified as a type of botanical berry, it is perceived as a vegetable. It is low in calories, fat, cholesterol and sodium.

BENEFITS
Hydration – Consist mostly of water and contain important electrolytes to help prevent dehydration which is essential to maintain a health intestine
Bone Health – Rich in Vitamin K it helps with blood clotting and supports bone health; it also contains Calcium and Vitamin D
Cancer – Contains cucurbitacin which may stop cancer cells from reproducing and the fiber found in the skin of the cucumber may help prevent colorectal cancer
Cardiovascular Health – The fiber and cucurbitacins found in the cucumber skin may also help prevent atherosclerosis and high blood pressure
Diabetes – May play a role in controlling/preventing diabetes by lowering blood sugar or stop blood glucose from rising too high
Inflammation – May have anti-inflammatory benefits that aid the immune system fight against cardiovascular disease, diabetes, autoimmune conditions, depression and cancer
Skin Care –  Contains nutrients that can help cool and soothe skin, reducing swelling and irritation and alleviate sunburn; placed on the eyes it can help decrease puffiness and a face pack of cucumber juice and yogurt can reduce dry skin and blackheads

Recipe – Cucumber Salad

Ingredients

½ cup chopped onions
2 cups chopped tomatoes
3 ½ cups chopped cucumbers
¼ tsp. celery seed
¾ tsp. dill weed
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. garlic powder
1 cup soy sour cream

Process

Combine all ingredients into bowl and gently mix together. Serve immediately or chill first. Yields 5 cups.

Testimony – The Man in the Hallway

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How many times have you wished you could meet your guardian angel? It’s certainly something to look forward to when Jesus comes. Well, I’ve met mine. I suppose that’s a bit of an exaggeration. It wasn’t like we talked or sat and visited, but I did see him. And he saved my life.

I was 15 years old, a latch-key kid. My parents would leave early in the morning to go to work and I would get up later, get myself ready and head off to school. School was a short three-block walk from our house and I made that walk every day, rain or shine, clear or snowy, but not uphill either way.

There are a lot of details to this story, but I’ll do my best to keep it short.

We had lived in our neighborhood since I was six. I’d been a latch-key kid since I was nine. I had friends in the neighborhood, my next-door neighbor, a couple of older boys down the street, my best friend a block over and the son of our school principal.

I don’t recall what day of the week it was, but I do remember it was December and cold. My parents had already left for work and I was preparing my breakfast when I heard a noise in the utility room off the kitchen. Seemed odd to me, so I went to investigate. When I opened the door, I found the door from the utility room into the garage was open and just glimpsed something go back out into the garage. We had a stray cat in the neighborhood that would often spend the night in our garage and I figured it had gotten stuck in the garage when Mom and Dad left for work. Somehow the door into the utility room had gotten blown open and it had come in to investigate.

But when I went to the door to the garage to close it, I saw that it wasn’t the cat at all. The garage door was up about two feet and standing next to it was a man. I can still him in my mind’s eye standing there all dressed in black, wearing gloves and a ski mask, the kind through which you can only see the eyes and mouth.

We stared at each other for a heartbeat and then the thought came to me that he would try to come back in and I needed to close the door. At the same second, he seemed to realize that if he was going to get in, he would have to hurry because I was going to close the door. I swung the door as hard as I could and he ran as quickly as he could toward me. The door slammed tightly shut right in his face. I leaned all my weight against it and so did he. This door had glass, so this man and I were straining against both sides of the door, staring directly at each other. He had blue eyes. I saw his hand in its glove splayed on the glasses and that’s when I realized that if he got in once, he would get in again, and I would not be strong enough to stop him.

I ran back into the kitchen and out into the living room. To my left was the hallway and the telephone. I took one look at the phone and stepped toward the hallway, then looked up and there in the hallway was a man. I can’t remember his face. I can remember that he was dressed in a business suit and I remember that I wasn’t afraid. He shook his head no and pointed to the front door.

I turned on my heel and ran for the front door. As I started to go out, I remembered something I’d seen on a television program just a couple nights before where a young girl had run out the front door and right into the arms of the person who wanted to do her harm. Probably the only time all the television I watched over my life did me any real good. I opened the front door and paused, watching the kitchen door and then there he was. He had gotten back in the house and I ran out the front door and to the neighbor’s house.

They called my Mom and Dad. The police came. They searched the house and here is a strange thing, they were able to take fingerprints. Remember, I told you he was wearing gloves, but he left a perfect set of fingerprints. In fact, that’s how he was found.

While I was waiting for my parents to get home, I was in the house with a police officer. He asked me if he could use the phone. I said yes. I saw him pick up the receiver (this was an old circular dial phone), press the buttons a couple times to get a dial tone. He put the receiver down and went outside. I learned later, that the man had cut the phone line. Had I tried to use the phone, I would have been trapped in the hallway, but for the man in the business suit.

It turned out that the man who broke into our house was one of the two boys I knew from down the street. The police knew that because of the fingerprints and he had a record. The next day, my dad stayed home with me and we watched this boy, along with another boy walk across our front yard. The police had staked out the house and they arrested him at the end of the block.

They found rope in his pocket, along with the credit card he used to break into the house. He admitted that it had been his intent to break into the house and ultimately kill me, except, for the man in the hallway. My guardian angel.

I am looking forward to seeing him again.

Blessed Are the Pure

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Probably anyone who has studied microbiology and hygiene understands the value of cleanliness to prevent sickness, but physical cleanliness is not the only kind of cleanliness. Spiritual cleanliness is even more important. Without it, no one can receive the gift of eternal life, but the question is, “How can an impure mind become pure?”

Jesus introduced the sixth step of the spiritual ladder that will lead a person into the kingdom of God in Matthew 5:8: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” Purity of heart and life is developed as a result of living the spiritual experience of the first five beatitudes. The person who first of all recognizes his spiritual poverty and mourns over his sinful condition until God makes him humble or meek, and who has thirsted for a righteousness that he cannot generate and becomes merciful will then be purified from pride, malice, deceit, and other heart-defiling sins. There is no other road to purity of heart than the beatitude road, and the steps need to be taken in that order. This beatitude, like the others, is not introducing something new. It actually is a restatement of a truth that is as old as the plan of salvation.

In Psalm 15, David asks the question Who is going to be saved? “Lord, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill” (verse 1)? He answers: “He who walks uprightly, and works righteousness, and speaks the truth in his heart” (verse 2). Upright walking, righteous working and truthful speaking from the heart are the outworking of a pure heart. The person who does these things will be saved.

After David had fallen into sin, he recognized that a divine miracle was needed in his life. Notice what he said in Psalm 51: “Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, and in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom” (verse 6). Thinking of all the awful things he had done and how he had sinned, David said in verse 5: “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me.” He understood that he had been conceived and born in sin and because of this understanding, he continues in verse 10, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” David was afraid that because of his grievous sins, he had committed the unpardonable sin against the Holy Spirit and that he was lost. He pleads, “Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me” (verse 11). I know that my heart is wicked, lustful and impure, but Lord, I want a different heart. I want You to recreate my heart. The Lord heard his prayer and gave him a new heart and a new spirit.

Receiving a new heart and spirit is so important that Jesus said that unless it happens, there is no chance for any of us being saved. Speaking to Nicodemus Jesus said, “ ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God’ ” (John 3:3). Notice, a birth represents a new creation, like a new being is coming into the world when a baby is born. And here Jesus is saying that if you haven’t been born again, you won’t be in the kingdom of God. Nicodemus responded in verse 4, “ ‘How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?’ ”

“Jesus answered, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God’ ” (verse 5). Unless you have been born, not just of water, but of the Holy Spirit, you cannot enter the kingdom of God. You see, our hearts are impure, wicked, and unholy. The only way we can have a pure heart is by God’s creative power; He makes us a new creature. The apostle Paul talked about this in 2 Corinthians 5:17 when he said, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

If you and I are ever to have a pure heart, we must be a new creation. The Lord must create within us a clean heart, a new mind, and a new spirit. That is what being born again is all about. It is through the Holy Spirit that the heart is made pure. Many people are confused today about the work of the Holy Spirit. They think that the work of the Holy Spirit is the ability to do some kind of magic or miracles, or speaking in tongues, or doing some scientific wonder that unconverted people can’t explain. But the work of the Holy Spirit, as Jesus pointed out to Nicodemus, is to give you a new heart and a new spirit and to cause you to be born again. Unless that happens, Jesus said there’s no chance for you to be in the kingdom of heaven.

Only he who becomes a new creature in Christ Jesus can have a new heart, a new spirit, new thoughts, new feelings, new motives, all created by the Holy Spirit in that person’s mind. The wise man Solomon said in Proverbs 22:11, “He who loves purity of heart and has grace on his lips, the king will be his friend.” The heart is the emotional center of a person, the fountain of life. The character and conduct are determined by the spiritual condition of a person’s heart.

The Bible says in Proverbs 23:7, “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.” What a person is in his heart determines the kind of a character he will have. It is for this reason that the wise man counsels us to guard our hearts. Notice what it says in Proverbs 4:23: “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.” Another version of the Scriptures translates it this way: “Keep your heart above all that thou guardest.” The heart is a fortress, a citadel that is to be guarded against the attacks of the enemy. The chambers of the heart should be most diligently and heavily guarded. Why? Because out of the fountain of the heart flows the stream of character and conduct. Our words and our actions are simply the result of what is in our hearts. Jesus said in Matthew 12:34, “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” All the evil in our world has its source in an evil heart. The evil nature of the human heart is a part of our inheritance from Adam and Eve, our first parents.

When the Lord spoke to Noah after the flood He said, “And the Lord smelled a soothing aroma. Then the Lord said in His heart, ‘I will never again curse the ground for man’s sake, although the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; nor will I again destroy every living thing as I have done’ ” (Genesis 8:21). Notice, the Lord said the imagination of a man is evil from his youth. How evil is our imagination? How evil is our heart? Jeremiah 17:9 says, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?” During His life on earth, Jesus made it very clear that the heart is the source of all evil. In Mark 7:21–23, Jesus said, “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness [licentiousness], an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile the man.”

That was the cause of the terrible wickedness that came on the world in Noah’s time, before the flood, and brought the judgment of a world-wide deluge. The Bible says in Genesis 6:5, “Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” And continuing in verse 11, “The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.”

Jesus stated very clearly that this same condition of wickedness would occur in the world before His second coming (Matthew 24). Prophecy explains, to a large extent, the cause of the present tidal wave of crime and iniquity, hatred and lawlessness that is sweeping over all the earth today. The source of it all is the corrupt and unregenerate hearts of mankind.

The patriarch Job asked, “Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? No one” (Job 14:4)! No human being can bring a clean heart out of an unclean heart. No one is able to cleanse the heart. The purpose of the gospel is to tell the world that there is one power in the universe that can give you a new heart and spirit and make you a new creation. Jesus is the great purifier and cleanser from sin and that is the genius of the Christian religion. The core of the Christian religion is that when you accept Jesus as Saviour and Lord of your life, the Holy Spirit will recreate your heart and your mind.

All forms of false religion tend toward corruption. Purity of heart does not find any prominent place in the teachings of Socrates or Aristotle, or other heathen philosophers. The wisest and the greatest of them were impure and they knew it. They were corrupt in their teachings and in their practice. But the gospel will produce purity and holiness, not just on the outside, but in the heart. It brings the heart and the life into conformity with the divine law which is the standard of righteousness.

During His life on this earth, Jesus Christ was the very incarnation of purity. He said in John 8:46, “Which of you convicts Me of sin?” They had no response. The Bible says that if we accept Him and hope to meet Him, we will be made pure as He is pure (1 John 3:3).

Only the pure in heart will see God. This purifying process cleanses our motives. When right principles are enthroned in the heart, then we will do what is right because it is right. The pure in heart aren’t controlled by sinful nature, only doing right because of policy or expediency, or to escape punishment, or for hope of reward.

Here is a question that many Christians should ask themselves, and many likely would be shocked by what they discover. Why do I obey God’s law? Is my obedience for the purpose of avoiding punishment, or because of an inborn love of what is good and right? This beatitude says that the pure in heart will see God. If my heart is full of sin, then my vision is beclouded and I cannot see or understand God. The disease of sin produces spiritual blindness and the Bible talks about that in many places (see 2 Peter 1; Revelation 3:17). Sadly, this spiritual blindness leaves you ignorant of your true spiritual condition.

Spiritual blindness is the reason that the majority of the Jews failed to recognize Jesus. Their spiritual blindness prevented them from seeing anything in Him that would lead them to desire Him and this is true with the mass of mankind today. It explains the reason why there are so many modern thinkers or philosophers who see Jesus only as a man. Oh, they may believe He was a very good man, but still only a man. To them, the beauty of His matchless character is no evidence that He is the Son of God. To them, Jesus is just the same as they are. You see, sin dims our vision of God. But when we have a vision of God, sin is revealed and we are given a vision of ourselves and our condition. The Bible says that without holiness, no one will see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14). When Job saw the Lord, He said, “I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes” (Job 42:6). A vision of the Lord’s glory had the very same effect upon other Bible writers: Isaiah (Isaiah 6), Daniel (Daniel 10), Peter (Luke 6), Paul (Acts 26) and the apostle John (Revelation 1).

We can never know the blackness of our sin until we see the purity of the character of Christ. And once we really see that, the contrast awakens us to the realization that we need a complete change in character. We will say with Isaiah, “Lord, I’m all undone.” In response, the Lord says, “I will purge your iniquity and give you a new heart and a new mind.”

Jacob was a crooked dealer, a cunning trickster, a person that you would not want to do any kind of business with. His very name meant deceiver or supplanter, and he lived up to that name. But his character was completely changed one night when he wrestled with the Lord Himself (Genesis 32). He was a spiritually bankrupt man, but he was changed into a prince of God. What was the secret of the wonderful transformation that he experienced?

The apostle Paul had that same experience. It was the vision of the crucified One on the road to Damascus that transformed him into a different person and changed the whole course of his life. From that day forward, he sought only to behold Jesus and to be changed into His image.

Paul tells us that by beholding we will become changed (2 Corinthians 3:18). Jacob said, “I have seen God face to face …” (Genesis 32:30). This is the secret of the wonderful transformation that must be accomplished in our lives.

Have you beheld the purity of Christ? The spiritual vision of God must eventually involve seeing Him face to face. We must see Him now with the eye of faith and then we will see Him in the kingdom of glory, because He has promised to His people, “Your eyes will see the King in His beauty” (Isaiah 33:17).

But when Jesus comes, only those who are pure in heart and have seen the beauty of His character in the present life will see Him face to face. They have seen God with the eye of faith in this life and they will be blessed with a vision of His immaculate loveliness when He returns and they will have fellowship with Him in the future immortal life. Everyone else will be calling for the rocks and mountains to fall on them (Revelation 6:16) so that they will not have to see Him. They will be destroyed by the brightness and glory of His person.

Friend, are you reading your Bible and studying to understand not just the words, but to see the character of Jesus Christ? How else will you know His character? You must become like Him if you are going to be with Him. The apostle Paul says, “Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known” (1 Corinthians 13:12, last part). He says, “Now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face” (verse 12, first part, KJV). Those who are pure in heart, in whom the Holy Spirit has created a new heart and a new spirit, only these will see Him face to face.

Pastor John J. Grosboll is Director of Steps to Life and pastors the Prairie Meadows Church in Wichita, Kansas. He may be contacted by email at: historic@stepstolife.org, or by telephone at: 316-788-5559.

Health – What’s in Your Mouth?

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Think about this: From the 1930s to 1950s doctors heavily promoted cigarettes as a healthy activity, a treatment to relax and even a useful mechanism with which to open our lungs for improved breathing.

Today we know this “good health” advice is ridiculous. In years to come, we will likely look back and say the same thing about doctors promoting animal-based foods. Unfortunately, most doctors do not have expertise in the healing properties of food.

This is not always our doctors’ fault. There is very little focus on preventive care throughout medical school and training. As cardiologist Joel Kahn, MD, relates, “During the 1980s when I completed medical school and cardiology fellowship, there was no discussion about nutrition and health in the halls of academic medical centers.”

Though the medical world has mostly focused on diagnosing disease and treating with technology and drugs, some doctors have devoted careers to understanding the relationship between health and food. Their conclusions: our “evolution” to an omnivore diet coincides with our rise in disease.

“The greatest medical discovery of the last 20 years is the understanding that our Western diseases are largely lifestyle-related,” Denis Burkitt, MD, said in 1992. But what’s exciting? “They must be preventable and potentially reversible.” And there’s good evidence he is right.

Famed doctor and author Dean Ornish, MD, convincingly proved that a plant-based whole food diet coupled with exercise and stress management could reverse the atherosclerotic plaques and indolent prostate cancer.

And renowned doctor Neal Bernard, MD, has demonstrated that a diet devoid of animal products is very effective in reversing diabetes. Of his diabetic patients, 71 percent were off their oral medications within four weeks and with normal sugar levels.

Ornish and Bernard are in good company. As the following doctors attest, the answers to our leading health woes are not at the bottom of a pill bottle, but at the end of our fork.

Reversing Heart Disease with Plant-based Foods

“We were born with clean, flexible arteries, and they should stay that way throughout our lives. The arteries of most Americans, however, are clogged with cholesterol, fats and calcium. The cause of coronary artery heart disease is no longer a mystery. We know that cultures whether by heritage or tradition that consume plant-based nutrition have virtually no cardiovascular disease. Atherosclerosis only became more apparent in Japan and China with the import of the rich Western diet laced with meat, eggs and dairy products.

“Atherosclerosis-related diseases are not a ‘natural’ way to go, and individuals with established coronary artery disease who completely transition to plant-based foods can halt and reverse their diseases.”—Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr., MD.

Where Disease and Eating Habits Intersect

“The statistics are convincing. Cardiovascular disease and cancers of the breast, prostate, colon, and lungs are now claiming every third and fourth American life, respectively. In the early 1900s fewer than ten percent of deaths in the United States were attributed to cardiovascular disease. Now it is the number one killer. And consider this: In spite of newer and refined forms of insulin and bioengineered medications, diabetes has gone up 700 percent since World War II.

“What can help explain these changes? In the 1900s, Americans got 70 percent of their protein from plant foods. Today, they get 70 percent of their protein from animal products that are high in saturated fat, cholesterol, trans fat and devoid of fiber.”—Dr. Hans Diehl.

Diet Has the Power to Address the Root Cause of Illness

“Because I suffered from hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and pre-diabetes (I have a long family history of Type-2 diabetes and coronary heart disease), I decided to try this lifestyle approach and became a vegetarian. Although I was told being vegan would be most effective, I decided to try being vegetarian first and my experiment worked. Within a few months my blood pressure and glucose levels were well within the normal range. I no longer required my diuretic for hypertension and my dose of Lipitor had been cut by more than half. Excited by my success, I decided to take the full plunge and see what would happen to my numbers if I became a complete vegan. On a vegan diet I was able to get off all medication, including Lipitor!”—Dexter Shurney, MD, MBA, MPH

Physician, Heal Thyself, Eliminate Animal Products from Your Diet

“I did not know that my diet high in animal products deprived my body of antioxidants, vitamins, anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory phytochemicals, enzymes, minerals, essential fatty acids, fiber and many other important ingredients that are only found in plants. My animal-based diet was inflammatory and acid forming—deteriorating my body, causing rapid aging and an array of diseases. I started to gain weight and feel tired and fatigued. My mood started to change. My brain was foggy and my body felt heavier and heavier. More importantly, I didn’t even know it was not normal to feel that way. After getting bigger and sicker every day for two to three years, I finally decided this was not how I wanted to treat my body and my mind.

“As I changed my diet, my weight started to normalize, my energy increased, my fatigue and depressed mood improved, and my heartburn and stomach problems disappeared. I felt much lighter and better physically and emotionally after I changed to a plant-based diet. Thousands of scientific studies prove that the best and the most health-promoting diet is plant-based and devoid of animal products.

“The majority of the diseases afflicting human societies today can be cured by a shift to a plant-based diet. As a gastroenterologist whose first line of theory for her patients is a plant-based diet, I experience and observe this transformation every single day. Illnesses can potentially completely heal or improve significantly with a change of diet. The power of our own healing is in our hands.”—Zarin Azar, MD, Gastroenterologist and Hepatologist

Plant-based Diets Deter Atherosclerosis

“Many patients with atherosclerosis are surprised at the bulk of their plaque, which can be seen and felt without magnification. When enough arteries are blocked, ulcers and gangrene occur in the toes and feet and are the leading cause of leg amputation. Complications of arterial disease are the most common reasons for the estimated 65,000 leg amputations performed in the U.S. each year. Studies have evidenced that a plant-based diet is associated with lower rates of atherosclerotic disease.

“Plant-based diets demonstrate lower serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels, decreased incidence of cardiovascular events, and even reversal of arterial atherosclerosis. In general, vegetarians have lower incidence of atherosclerosis, cardiac events and all-cause mortality.

“A cross-cultural large trial, the Cornell China Study, showed how rural Chinese had a fraction of the death rate from heart disease compared to Americans. American men had almost 17 times the death rate from atherosclerotic heart disease and American women had 5.5 times higher mortality from the same cause. The average Chinese dietary fat intake was less than half as a proportion of diet, fiber intake was three times as high and animal protein intake was comparatively very low at less than 10 per cent of that in the U.S. diet, and vegetable intake was much higher. The rates of atherosclerotic disease were positively associated with meat intake and sodium intake, but decreased in relation to consumption of green vegetables and plasma levels of monounsaturated fatty acids.

“Although the project did not set out to study vegans or plant-based diets, the conclusion was that a plant-based diet is the most preferable way to avoid atherosclerosis.”—Kristofer M. Charlton-Ouw, MD, FACS, Vascular Surgeon

Convinced Yet? What’s on Your Plate

“Doctors are trained that it is a waste of time to talk about nutrition, but I can assure you that it is not a waste of time. The only time I have ever been able to decrease insulin dosages in diabetics or stop blood pressure pills in patients with high blood pressure, it has been because the patient has modified his or her diet to be plant-based.”—Mary Went, MD

Thrive, Health and Wellness, Shushana Castle, vol. 26, 14–16.

“Meat consumption has conclusively been linked to heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and a host of other chronic and deadly diseases. God’s people should dispense with flesh foods. Those who are seeking to become pure and holy cannot continue to use as food anything that has so harmful an effect on soul and body.” Counsels on Diet and Foods, 386.

Question – How Do I Know That I’m a Christian?

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Question:

How Do I Know That I’m a Christian?

Answer:

“What is it to be a Christian? It is to be Christlike; it is to do the works of Christ.” Lift Him Up, 341.

“The question you need to put to yourselves is, ‘Am I a Christian?’ To be a Christian is to be far more than many understand. It means more than simply having your name upon the church records. It means to be joined to Christ …

“As sons and daughters of God, Christians should strive to reach the high ideal set before them in the gospel. They should be content with nothing less than perfection.” The Faith I Live By, 130.

“Everyone who claims to be a Christian is to bear the responsibility of keeping himself in harmony with the guidance of the word of God. God holds each soul accountable for following, for himself, the pattern given in the life of Christ and for having a character that is cleansed and sanctified.” Evangelism, 343.

“When you took the name of Christian you promised in this life to prepare for the higher life in the kingdom of God. To be a Christian means to be Christlike. Not a satanic feature is to remain on mind or body, which are to reveal comeliness, purity, integrity, and dignity. Take the Christlife as your pattern.” In Heavenly Places, 286.

“To be a Christian is not merely to take the name of Christ, but to have the mind of Christ, to submit to the will of God in all things.” That I May Know Him, 174.

“We bear the name of Christian. Let us be true to this name … In the life of the true Christian there is nothing of self—self is dead.” Our Father Cares, 236.

“Not only did Christ die as our sacrifice, but He lived as our example. In His human nature He stands, complete, perfect, spotless. To be a Christian is to be Christlike. Our entire being—soul, body, and spirit—must be purified, ennobled, sanctified, until we shall reflect His image and imitate His example.” That I May Know Him, 311.

“Love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, faith and charity are the elements of the Christian character … They are the Christian’s crown and shield …

“As you receive the Spirit of Christ … you will grow and bring forth fruit. The graces of the Spirit will ripen in your character.

“This fruit can never perish, but will produce after its kind a harvest unto eternal life.” Sons and Daughters of God, 32.

Nature – Creatures of the Air

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“Oh that I had wings like a dove! then I would fly away, and be at rest.” Psalm 55:6

In the domain of hawk, gull, and sparrow, physiology and aerial prowess are synonymous. A bird is simply a masterpiece of engineering – the perfect flying machine – supremely crafted by God and endowed with the attributes for a life in the skies. Its breast muscles, which operate its wings, are enormous, in some birds, comprising 33% of their total body weight. At the same time a bird’s skeletal system is incredibly light. The bones of a pelican, with a wingspan of nearly six feet, weigh only about five ounces, yet they are strong and flexible enough to withstand the constant stress of maneuverable flight.

Add to this package highly efficient digestive and respiratory systems, a large and powerful heart, and feathers that streamline, insulate, and provide the necessary lift for wings and tail, and it is easy to understand how Solomon could describe a bird in the air as a sight “too wonderful for me” (Proverbs 30:18, 19).

The methods and techniques of flight generally fall into a few basic categories. Flapping or power flight involves a strong downward stroke that results in rapid lift and forward thrust. Generally, the larger the bird the slower it flaps its wings. In contrast, the hummingbird will beat its wings up to 80 times a second while performing what has been called the most versatile display of aerial skill in all of God’s creation. The tiny bird can hover or fly in all directions – forward, backward, or to the side, depending upon its needs. Its rigid wings move in a unique figure 8 motion, powered by exceptionally strong muscles and a flexible swivel joint at its shoulder. The tail works as a rudder controlling the direction of movement. Not surprisingly, the hummingbird expends tremendous amounts of energy and to survive, must consume twice its body weight in food every day.

Gliding and soaring are far less demanding forms of flight, yet once again, the elements of aeronautical design are clearly seen. Fulmars slope soar, riding on air deflected upward from cliffs as its wings work in harmony with the surrounding wind currents, while a heron spreads its enormous wings in a slow approach to its nest. Large primary feathers at the end of each wing offer precise control of both speed and direction. A similar design enables a condor to ride for hours on spirals of warm air. Again, a huge wing surface allows for effortless gliding as the bird of prey searches the valley floor for food.

But for all the soaring wonder and power that so abundantly fills the skies, perhaps the supreme testimony to the Creator’s gifts of flight and life itself is written on the tissue-thin wings of the Monarch butterfly. Its wings are driven by powerful muscles designed into the insect’s upper body, the thorax, essential for migration. Advancing steadily, they ride on rising columns of warm air that can elevate them thousands of feet. These expert gliders can travel more than 50 miles a day flying upwards of 3,000 miles to reach their winter home.

God reveals Himself to man through the things He has made. Each day in the wonders of land, sky, and sea, He presents us with a vivid picture of His existence and character. It is a continuing revelation, as exciting and diverse as the creatures He has brought into being. In the majestic grace of a bird or butterfly in flight, an eternal truth shines clear – the God of all creation is real and alive, His power and wisdom are without limit and He cares and provides abundantly for the life that He has made.

Wonders of God’s Creation, Animal Kingdom: Great Are Thy Works, ©2004.

Keys – The Secure Anchor

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Will your anchor hold in the storm of life?
Shining gates of pearl our harbor bright.
We shall anchor fast to the heavenly shore,
With the storms all past forevermore.
We have an anchor that keeps the soul,
Steadfast and sure while the billows roll.
Fastened to the Rock which cannot move,
Grounded firm and deep in the Saviour’s love.
“Will Your Anchor Hold?”
Priscilla J. Owens, 1882.

As Adventists, we have sung the above song many times, but how many of us have really considered the meaning of the words? Where are we anchored and to what should our anchor be fastened?

The world is fast becoming a very scary place. On the one hand, praise God, for we have the second coming of Christ looming on the near horizon, closer than it has ever been. And on the other, as this event draws nearer and nearer, the sustaining hand of God is being withdrawn more and more and Satan is all too willing to step in and fill the void. Evil multiplies and it seems daily, even hourly, we read or hear of some terrible occurrence. We see the increase in alcoholism, drug addiction, suicide, murder, theft, abuse of every kind, abortion, child trafficking, blame and accusations, perversion, adultery, anger, violence, cruelty and hatred.

We read in Evangelism, 362, “The fallacies of Satan are now being multiplied, and those who swerve from the path of truth will lose their bearings. Having nothing to which to anchor, they will drift from one delusion to another, blown about by the winds of strange doctrines.”

As we evaluate our own lives, the things we read, watch, listen to, wear, pursue, what we say, how we use our means, how we spend our time – in prayer, in study – are we able to clearly see where we are anchored? Is it on this earth or in heaven?

“Many know so little about their Bibles that they are unsettled in the faith. They remove the old landmarks, and fallacies and winds of doctrine blow them hither and thither. … and [they] divorce themselves from God, while still claiming to be His children.” The Review and Herald, December 29, 1896.

Continuing in Evangelism 362, Mrs. White says, “I entreat everyone to be clear and firm regarding the certain truths that we have heard and received and advocated. The statements of God’s word are plain. Plant your feet firmly on the platform of eternal truth. Reject every phase of error, even though it be covered with a semblance of reality.” [Emphasis supplied.]

Lord, help us to be solidly anchored in Your word, fastened to the Rock which cannot move and grounded firm and deep in Your love. May we be fully clothed in the whole armor of God, ready with an “It is written,” when confronted by the devil or those who serve him. Make us strong to turn from this world and to look to You, seeking only to do Your will. Keep us faithful until You come, is our prayer today and every day.

Story – Joshua

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Joshua was a tall black man, a Zulu, in Africa. He wore a long, white robe, and always carried a Bible in his hand or under his arm. But Joshua was in prison.

One day, a few years ago, a Christian man visited the prison. He asked to have a talk with Joshua. The jailer brought the prisoner into the reception room. Joshua squatted down on the floor in front of the gentleman, as is the custom of the natives of Africa.

“Why are you in this prison?” the man asked.

“I was working in a coal mine,” said Joshua, “and there a voice came to me, saying, ‘Joshua, you must go out and preach to your people.’ But I said to this voice, ‘I cannot read well, I am not able to write, I have no clothes to wear.’ For three years after that I was unable to speak aloud. Then the same voice came to me again. ‘Yes, I will go,’ I said. Then my voice was partly restored.”

“But what brought you here?” the gentleman asked.

“I was preaching in the north of Zululand, near the coast,” he replied, “and there I told the people that times of trouble were before us, and there would be war and bloodshed. Some of my enemies told the white government that I was stirring up sedition. The country had just had a Zulu rebellion, so the officers took me and put me in prison.”

“Joshua, what gospel do you teach? Where do you get your message?” the man asked.

Joshua opened his Bible to the fourteenth chapter of Revelation, and read from the sixth to the twelfth verses. “This,” he said, “is the message the voice told me to preach.”

The gentleman knew that this was God’s message for these last days. He was astonished to find a Zulu in this prison who had no education, but who was preaching this truth to his own people whenever he had opportunity.

“How do you preach that gospel?” the gentleman asked.

“I now speak with a whisper,” Joshua answered. “But when I was in Zululand, the Spirit of God came down upon me, and God gave me a strong voice to speak to thousands of natives. No white people live in that neighborhood.”

“Did any of your people believe your message?” the man asked.

“There were hundreds who changed their habits and were leading different lives,” Joshua answered. “Where my knees rest on the ground when I pray no grass grows.”

“What kind of man is Joshua?” the gentleman asked the jailer, as he was leaving the prison.

“He is the best man we have had in prison,” the jailer replied. “We had a lunatic here who would not permit us to bring his food into the cell. We put Joshua in with him. Joshua would sit in his cell reading the Bible. The lunatic would rush at him as if about to tear him in pieces, but Joshua would not lift his eyes from the Bible. He would keep on reading. The second or third day this lunatic said to him, ‘Do you enjoy that Book?’ Then Joshua began to explain to him what is in the Bible, and that lunatic was converted there in prison, and to-day he is a changed man.”

So far as we know, Joshua is still preaching this truth. Does not this experience show how God can carry His truth to every dark corner of this world?

True Education Reader, Fifth Grade, ©1933, 239–241.

Inspiration – The Promise of Final Triumph

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The work that lies before us is one that will put to the stretch every power of the human being. It will call for the exercise of strong faith and constant vigilance. At times the difficulties that we shall meet will be most disheartening. The very greatness of the task will appall us. And yet, with God’s help, His servants will finally triumph. “Wherefore,” My brethren, “I desire that ye faint not” (Ephesians 3:13), because of the trying experiences that are before you. Jesus will be with you; He will go before you by His Holy Spirit, preparing the way; and He will be your helper in every emergency.

“For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.

“Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen (Ephesians 3:14–21).” Testimony Treasures, vol. 3, 440, 441.