Category / Sabbath School Lessons

by In Light Of The Cross

What God Remembers About Abraham

Because Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.” Genesis 26:5 NKJV

As we study this week’s lesson about Giants of Faith, what do you remember most about people? The good or the bad? We are told,

Cultivate the habit of speaking well of others. Dwell upon the good qualities of those with whom you associate, and see as little as possible of their errors and failings. When tempted to complain of what someone has said or done, praise something in that person’s life or character. Cultivate thankfulness. Praise God for His wonderful love in giving Christ to die for us. It never pays to think of our grievances. God calls upon us to think of His mercy and His matchless love, that we may be inspired with praise.-Ellen White, Help in Daily Living, Page 34. 

I love how God speaks of Abraham after he died. Yes, Abraham made some terrible and costly blunders, like taking Hagar as his wife instead of just trusting God’s promise. Abraham also lied in Egypt instead of just trusting God’s promise of protection. Yet after Abraham ‘s story is over, all God remembers are the good things. Yes, Paul mentions Hagar in Galatians, but he does not go on about how terrible Abraham was. He does not even mention Abraham’s name in that context. He merely refers to the situation. But when speaking directly about Abraham, here is what Scripture has to say: 

Because Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.”Genesis 26:5 NKJV

By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. Hebrews 11:8 NKJV

By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,”  concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense. Hebrews 11:17-19 NKJV

Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar?  Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?  And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was [j]accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. James 2:21-23 NKJV

Truly when God forgives He remembers our sins no more. Hebrews 8:12. Even with Sarah, in Hebrews 8:11, God mentions her faith and never mentions that the whole Hagar incident was her idea. The way God talks about Abraham and Sarah, you would get the idea that they never did anything wrong. How beautiful is God’s forgiveness, and the way He only remembers the good and never recalls the bad. 

I have a good friend since childhood, but even though we have been good friends for life, I was not always nice when we were kids. Years ago at a church youth social I had to correct a child for being mean to another child. This reminded me of a time I was mean to my friend when we were kids. I called her that evening and told her how bad I felt about that now. She assured me she had no memory of that incidident and all she could recall about me were good things, like what a wonderful friend I have been for years. When I hung up the phone I marvelled at her graciousness. 

May we be as gracious with others as my friend was with me. May we be as gracious with others as God was with Abraham in Scripture, and as He is now with all of us. 

by In Light Of The Cross

8: Giants of Faith: Joshua and Caleb-Sabbath School Lesson Teaching Plan

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Prepared by William Earnhardt, for Sabbath School Class on November 22, 2025.

Central Theme: This lesson takes a deeper look into the personal examples of two giants of faith in the book of Joshua: Caleb and Joshua. What is it that made them stand out in their generation and play a key role in the life of God’s people during one of the most crucial periods of Israel’s history?

Read in Class: Numbers 13:30-32 and Joshua 14:14. Ask the class to identify the main idea of these passages.

Study: What do these passages tell us about Caleb?

Apply: Read Numbers 14:6-10, 21-25. What do you learn from Caleb about standing for what is right even when threatened with death?

Share: Your friend on the church board tells you he always votes with the majority because he wants to be easy to get along with and not ruffle any feathers. What do you tell your friend?

Read in Class: Joshua 15:16-19, Judges 1:13, and Judges 3:7-11.

Study: What does this story tell you about the power of example? How is Caleb’s attitude being reproduced in the younger generation?

Apply: Passing on the torch of faith to the next generation is crucial to the fulfillment of the mission God has entrusted to us. Think about the challenges of passing on faith to the next generation, on the one hand, and about the opportunities for young people to assume more responsibility in the work of God, on the other. What can we do to facilitate and train youth to assume godly leadership? How crucial is our example in this process?

Share: Your friend asks you who some of the people are who have influenced you the most in life, and how their influence helped you. What do you tell your friend?

Read in Class: Joshua 19:49-51. Ask the class to share the main idea of this passage.

Study: What are the implications of the fact that the great leader of Israel, who apportioned the land, received his inheritance last?

Apply: What lessons can you draw for yourself regarding Joshua’s attitude? How might you apply it to yourself now?

Share: Your friend asks, What examples of great faith and leadership have you seen in your church community. What do you tell your friend?

Read in Class: Read in Class: Hebrews 12:1-2 and 2 Corinthians 3:18.

Study: How does focusing on Jesus’ life and the faith of others around us change us?

Apply: Read Romans 12:1-2. How can we make sure we are not being influenced by the world?

Share: Can you think of someone who said or did something that later influenced you to make the right choice? Can you reach out to that person and affirm them this week?

by In Light Of The Cross

It’s Nice to be Alone Sometimes

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Immediately, Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now, when evening came, He was alone there. Matthew 14:22-23 NKJV

When I was in my early teens, I found being seen alone in public awkward. I was afraid it made me look unpopular. However, when I was 14, my family took a vacation to Washington, DC. One of the places we visited was the Arlington National Cemetery. While looking around, I somehow got separated from my family. For some reason, I felt no need to panic. I continued to look around, reading the monuments and contemplating the meaning of life, country, and other sobering issues one might ponder in a national cemetery. Soon enough, I met up with my family again.

I am not sure how long I was on my own. It seemed like a while. By the time I had reunited with my family, I had made a self-discovery. I realized I had gotten more out of the visit to the cemetery while I was alone. It allowed me to spend time in thoughtful contemplation and self-reflection. I changed my attitude about alone time. Instead of feeling awkward, I began to embrace alone time.

At the time, I had never heard the word “introvert, much less considered myself one. My friends are surprised today when I tell them I am an introvert, since they know I love people so much. I have to say to them that introverts love people. Much of my time in solitude allows me to reflect on relationships and how to be a better friend. I love to spend my alone time reading and gathering ideas to share with my friends when we’re together again. Solitude allows me to prepare to be a better friend to those I serve. Often, it is while I am enjoying my alone time that I write my weekly articles for Sabbath School Net, so even though I am alone, I am still being sociable. 

Jesus made time alone with His Father. It prepared Him to serve His disciples and the multitudes. I strive to emulate Jesus’ example of striking the right balance between solitude and the crowd. Sometimes I will wake up in the morning with a hundred things to do. I will start reading my Bible and praying, when suddenly I get this urge to put my Bible down and get busy. After all, I have a friend in the hospital whom I must see. They need me, so how dare I sit here praying and reading my Bible? Thankfully, I have learned not to feel guilty for studying my Bible and praying when there are so many people to see and work to be done. I have learned that I am no good around people until I have been alone with Jesus. 

Being alone is not antisocial; when you spend time alone with Jesus, you find ways to share His love with others more effectively. It’s nice to be alone sometimes, so I can learn how to be more effective socially. 

You may study this week’s Sabbath School Lesson here.

by In Light Of The Cross

7: Ultimate Loyalty: Worship in a War Zone-Sabbath School Lesson Teaching Plan

Prepared by William Earnhardt for the Sabbath School class, 15 November 2025.

Central Theme: Nothing is more urgent or necessary than our time of worship with God.

Read in Class: Joshua 5:1-10. Ask the class to identify the main idea of this passage.

Study: Why did the Lord command Joshua to circumcise the second generation of Israelites at this particular time of the conquest?

Apply: Think about the times you have neglected time with God because of more “important” matters. Why is this so easy to do, and how can we fight against it?

Share: Your friend asks why it was important for Joshua to have Israel celebrate Passover in the midst of the conquest of Canaan. What do you tell your friend?

Read in Class: Deuteronomy 11:26-30 and Joshua 8:30-31. Ask the class to identify the common thread in these passages.

Study: What was Joshua’s motivation for building an altar to the Lord?

Apply: What are some spiritual practices we can engage in now that can serve the same functions as building an altar did in ancient times?

Share: Your friend asks what altars or monuments the church has built today? What do you tell your friend?

Read in Class: Joshua 8:32-35. Ask the class to identify the main idea of this passage.

Study: What is the meaning of the act described in these verses, and what should it say to us today?

Apply: How easy do you find it, in the rush and hubbub of life, to forget the Lord and seek to do things in your own strength and power? Why is this so easy to do, especially when things are going well for you?

Share: Your friend asks why it was so crucial for Israel to have a written copy of the covenant. What do you tell your friend? What do you tell your friend? For a hint, see: Deuteronomy 6:6-14.

Read in Class: Joshua 18:1-2. Ask the class to give the main idea of this passage.

Study: What was the activity for which Joshua interrupted the process of allotting the land?

Apply: Read Hebrews 10:19-23. What can we as Christians, who do not have an earthly sanctuary enshrining the physical presence of God among us, learn from Joshua?

Share: Can you think of someone who needs encouragement to make time for worship in their daily schedule? Could you call and pray with them this week, or even offer to study the Sabbath School lesson with them over the phone if you’re not able to meet in person?

by In Light Of The Cross

The Fatal Danger of Cherishing Sin

The story of Achan in this week’s Sabbath School lesson teaches us about the dangers of cherishing sin in our hearts. Fortunately, we have a Savior who is always quick to forgive, time and again, and even cleanse us, time and again. Whenever I see someone mopping a floor and a child tracks dirt on the clean floor, I hear them say, “I just cleaned this floor!” And when I hear that, I am so glad my Savior quickly forgives and cleanses my heart time and time again, without sighing and saying, “But I just cleaned this heart!” Still, while we have a forgiving Savior who can clean our repentant hearts time and time again, we must be careful that we do not become comfortable in our sins. There is a fatal danger in cherishing our sins.

“Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a fishing net that was thrown into the water and caught fish of every kind. When the net was full, they dragged it up onto the shore, sat down, and sorted the good fish into crates, but threw the bad ones away. That is the way it will be at the end of the world. The angels will come and separate the wicked people from the righteous, throwing the wicked into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Matthew 13:47-50 NLT 

Notice that in this parable, the bad fish are not cleaned at the end of the world. They are either already good or already bad. There is no changing our characters at the second coming. Thus, it is never safe in any period of our lives to cherish sin.

He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still.” Revelation 22:11 NKJV

in 1 Corinthians 15, we read a beautiful promise. 

in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 1 Corinthians 15:52 NKJV 

I will let you examine the entire chapter for yourself and decide for yourself, but as I read this chapter, I find that Paul is talking about our physical bodies, not our moral characters, which are being changed at the second coming. Paul gives us much encouragement that our moral characters can be changed by grace here in this life, well before the second coming. 

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age. Titus 2:11-12 NKJV

How comforting to know that God’s grace enables us to live a righteous and godly life in the here and now, instead of having to bring all the destruction upon ourselves and others, as Achan did while he clung to sin. 

I love how the NLT puts it as we continue reading Titus 2,

He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds.Titus 2:14 NLT 

Jesus did not pay the price for our sins so that we could continue in sin. 

Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace?  Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death?  For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives. Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was.  We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. Romans 6:1-7 NLT 

We do not want this proverb to be about us.

As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his foolishness.Proverbs 26:11 NLT 

Instead, we know that while Jesus did not die for us to continue in sin, He did die so that we can do what is right. 

He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. 1 Peter 2:24 NLT 

In the Adventist church I have noticed we seem to go from one extreme to the other. Let’s not go to extremes but remember that God’s power to keep us from sinning never removes His power to forgive a truly repentant heart, and His power to forgive never cancels His power to help us overcome in the here and now.

The story of Achan teaches us while forgiveness is freely offered, clinging to sin will always prove fatal. Achan was found clinging to his trophies when He should have been clinging to God and His grace. As the old hymn says, “When at last my trophies I lay down, I will cling to the old rugged cross.” When Christ returns let us not be found clinging to our sins and trophies, but instead to the old rugged cross. 

by In Light Of The Cross

6: The Enemy Within-Sabbath School Lesson Teaching Plan

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Prepared by William Earnhardt for Sabbath School Class, November 8, 2025.

Central Theme: While we are on the border of the Promised Land, our faithfulness is tested, and we can be victorious only through surrender to Jesus Christ.

Read in Class: Joshua 7. Ask the class to summarize this chapter.

Study: What were the two major causes of Israel’s defeat by the inhabitants of Ai?

Apply: What are ways whole communities can suffer, and have suffered, from the bad acts of individuals within the community? What examples can you think of, and how was the community impacted?

Share: Your friend says that she has heard that there is no such thing as “private sin.” Your friend asks you if you agree with that statement. What do you tell your friend?

Read in Class: Joshua 7:16-21. Ask the class to share a thought on this passage.

Study: What does the entire procedure tell us about both God and Achan? What is Joshua asking Achan to do? What is the significance of such a request? How do we understand his confession?

Apply: How does the realization that God knows all that you do, even your hidden things, impact how you live? How should it affect how you live?

Share: Your friend asks how we can overcome covetousness in such a materialistic society? What do you tell your friend?

Read in Class: Joshua 8:1-8. Ask the class to share the main idea of this passage.

Study: What does this story tell us about how God can change our worst failures into opportunities?

Apply: How important is it that our church members obey all the statutes and judgments in our lives in witness to those outside the church? 

Share: Your friend asks, when Jesus was baptized, was He just giving us a good example, or was He also repenting on behalf of the human race He was now representing, even though He had never sinned? In other words, was He giving us an example of corporate repentance? What do you tell your friend?

Read in Class: Daniel 2:24. Ask the class to share the main idea of this passage.

Study: While Achan’s sin brought disaster upon the whole nation, what effect did Daniel’s prayer and faithfulness have on his contemporaries, even the evil ones?

Apply: Read Matthew 5:13-16. As Christians, how should our lives, even our private lives, be influencing the world around us?

Share: Your friend asks what the saying means, “We are our own worst enemy.” In light of this week’s lesson, what do you tell your friend?

by In Light Of The Cross

5: God Fights For You-Sabbath School Lesson Teaching Plan

Prepared by William Earnhardt, for Sabbath School class on November 1, 2025.

Main Theme: We will explore the purpose of divine wars and discover the peace and restoration God intends them to bring.

Read in Class: Genesis 18:25, Psalm 7:11, Psalm 50:6, and 2 Timothy 4:1. Ask the class to identify the common thread of these passages.

Study: What are these verses saying about God’s moral character? How does the role of God as the Judge of the universe help us understand the question of divine war?

Apply: How is a God who will not endlessly tolerate sin, oppression, the suffering of the innocent, and the exploitation of the oppressed part and parcel of the gospel?

Share: Your friend says that many of us find comfort in the fact that God knows our hearts. But if God knows our hearts, doesn’t He also know the selfish intentions of our hearts as well as the good intentions? If He knows when we are doing our best, doesn’t He also know when we are not doing our best? What do you tell your friend?

Read in Class: Exodus 23:28-30, Numbers 33:52, and Deuteronomy 7:20. Ask the class to find the common thread of these passages.

Study: What do these texts reveal about the purpose of the conquest and the extent of the destruction?

Apply: What elements in your own character and habits must be uprooted and annihilated?

Share: Your friend says that many today preach about the love and forgiveness of God, but not about his wrath. Should we also preach about the wrath of God? What do you tell your friend?

Read in Class: Deuteronomy 13:12-18, Deuteronomy 20:10, 15-18, and Joshua 10:40. Ask the class to identify the main idea of these passages.

Study: How does the law of warfare and the procedure against an idolatrous town in Israel, expressed in Deuteronomy, help us understand the limitations of total destruction in the war that the Israelites were engaged in?

Apply: What are the spiritual implications of the Canaanites’ defiance of God for our context today? That is, what are the consequences of our free choices for us personally?

Share: Your friend asks how she can be peaceful towards people who are hostile towards her. What do you tell your friend?

Read in Class: Isaiah 60:17, Hosea 2:18, and Micah 4:3. Ask the class to identify the common thread of these passages.

Study: How do these passages describe the future God desires for His people?

Apply: Think about all the ways we can, by seeking to emulate Jesus, be agents of peace. What about your own life right now? In what ways, in whatever conflict you might be facing, could you be an agent of peace instead of conflict?

Share: Read 2 Kings 6:16-23. Is there a friend you can pray for God to open their eyes, so they can see the goodness of God and the purpose He has for their lives?

by In Light Of The Cross

Michael is My Savior

Recently I was studying with a man who believed Jesus was a really good person, even a savior who died for us, but he did not believe Jesus was God. I shared with him the importance of knowing Jesus was actually God. I asked him, “If your wife was trapped inside a burning building, which would convince her more that you love her? Sending a fireman in to rescue her or going in yourself to rescue her?” He replied, “Going in myself.”

God the Son shows His love for us by dying Himself to rescue us. 

In Daniel 10, Daniel is in a fierce spiritual battle when, finally, 

Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me. Daniel 10:13 NKJV

In Daniel’s time of need did God send someone else to rescue Daniel, or did He demonstrate His love by rescuing Daniel Himself?

It’s easy for some to conclude, on surface reading, that Michael is just another angel. But as we look deeper, we see that Michael is actually the Son of God, who became incarnate as “Jesus,” coming to our rescue.

Archangel is a compound of two Greek words: “arche” which means beginning or commencement, and “aggelos” which means angel or messenger. The word arche is also closely related to the word “archo,” which means “to be first” or to “reign (rule) over.” Thus the “Archangel” is the One who began (created) the angels and reigns over them. That would be none other than Christ. 

Bible scholars are in general agreement that an “archangel” is over the created angels. But not all agree that the Archangel is the Creator Himself. 

Let’s look at a similar passage in which Christ is called the “beginning” of the creation of God:

“And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God.” (Rev 3:14)

In this text “arche” is translated as “beginning.” Is it not reasonable to conclude that since to all the other churches, the One speaking is Christ Himself, this is clearly another description of Christ. Thus, it appears that in biblical usage, the “arch-creation” or “beginning of creation” means the Creator Himself. 

Thus from the word usage, we could conclude that the “archangel” is also the Creator of the angels and not one of the created angels.

The name Michael means “One like God” or “There is no one else like God.” If Michael were only a created angel, then Lucifer’s aspiration to be “like God” could not be blasphemous and a reason for his expulsion from heaven. (See Isaiah 14:14.)

In Revelation 19:10 John starts to worship an angel and the angel tells him not to. Obviously this was a created angel who realized there was no way he, a created being could be equal with God. However, in Joshua 5, Joshua meets an Angel who accepts his worship, demonstrating that this was not a created angel, but the Angel who led Israel in the wilderness, referred to in Exodus 23:20-21:

 Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him.

Notice that the implication that this Angel can forgive transgression. Who but God Himself can forgive transgression? The Jews knew this and accused Christ of blasphemy when He forgave sin. (See Matthew 9:2-6) 

So how do we know in the Bible that Michael is the Son of God, now known as Jesus?

Daniel called Michael a chief prince. Who is our chief prince?

For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given….. And His name will be called…. Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6 NKJV

Who did Jude 1:9 say raises the dead?

Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee. Jude 1:9

When Jesus comes, who raises the dead?

For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 1 Thessalonians 4:16 1

It is the Lord Himself who has the voice of the archangel. The same voice that Jesus said would raise the dead.

Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live. John 5:25 

There are not two different persons who raise the dead. No created angel can raise the dead. Only Christ can do that. 

While Michael rescued Daniel during his time of need, who will rescue us during our time of trouble?

“And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation [even] to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake…..” Daniel 12:1-2

Michael, the Son of God Himself will come to our rescue! How assuring to know that God loves us too much to let someone else save and rescue us! He rescues us Himself! Yes God also send angels both terrestrial and celestial to help us in our time of needs, but He also loves us so much that He will finally come rescue all His people Himself! 

Daniel 10 gives me comfort that, in my time of need, when I feel I am being overcome by Satan, I can cry out God, “Please send Michael!” And Michael, the Only one “like Unto God,” Yes God Himself will rescue me!

Are you in the middle of a spiritual warfare now, and feel like you are losing the battle? Don’t wait. Call for Michael, the Son of God Himself, now! 

You may study this week’s Sabbath School Lesson here.

  1. In this text “a shout” and “the voice of an archangel” are an example of synonymous parallelism where both phrases mean the same thing, with one reinforcing the other. 

by In Light Of The Cross

4: The Conflict Behind All Conflicts-Sabbath School Lesson Teaching Plan

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Prepared by William Earnhardt, for Sabbath School class, October 25, 2025.

Main Theme: The next two weeks will explore the problematic question of divinely commanded wars in the book of Joshua and elsewhere.

Read in Class: Revelation 12:7-9 and Isaiah 14:12-14. Ask the class to identify the common thread in these passages.

Study: As we study the book of Joshua, we see that Joshua understood his battles were part of a larger conflict. What do we understand about the battles that involved God Himself?

Apply: What are ways we see, in the world around us and in our own lives, the reality of this cosmic battle between good and evil?

Share: Your friend asks, Why would God command Joshua to fight in wars with physical violence? Wasn’t the war in heaven just a “spiritual war?” What do you tell your friend?

Read in Class: Joshua 5:13-15, Nehemiah 9:6, and Isaiah 37:16. Ask the class to identify the common thread in these passages.

Study: What do you learn about the identity of the commander of the Lord’s army?

Apply: What comfort can, and should, we draw from knowing that the “Commander of the army of the LORD” is at work in defense of His people?

Share: Your friend asks, How do we know the commander of the Lord’s army is Jesus? I thought it was Michael who was an angel? What do you tell your friend? Hint: See Michael My Savior.

Read in Class: Exodus 14:13-14, 25. Ask the class to identify the main idea of this passage.

Study: What was God’s original and ideal plan concerning the involvement of the Israelites in warfare?

Apply: “If the children of Israel had not murmured against the Lord, He would not have suffered their enemies to make war with them.”—Ellen G. White, The Story of Redemption, p. 134. How might murmurings impact our lives today?

Share: Your friend asks if it is murmuring and complaining against God when we complain about conference leaders or local church leaders. What do you tell your friend?

Read in Class: Exodus 17:7-13 and Joshua 6:15-20. Ask the class to identify the common thread in these passages.

Study: What similarities do you find between these two war narratives? How do they differ?

Apply: Many times we want to see who’s on our side in a disagreement, but how can we stand still and wait for the Lord to fight for us in our spiritual battles? 

Share: Can you think of someone who is in the middle of a spiritual battle right now? Can you take some time to intercede and pray for them right now?

by In Light Of The Cross

Journalling

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“We have nothing to fear for the future, except as we shall forget the way the Lord has led us, and His teaching in our past history.”—Ellen G. White, Life Sketches, p. 196.

Long before Sabbath School Net, my blogsite, and Facebook, I loved to write. When I was a teenager, Earl Hamner inspired me to write and keep a journal. You may or may not know that Earl Hamner created the 1970s TV series The Waltons, based loosely on his own family’s experiences growing up during the Great Depression and World War II. In the TV series, John Boy, the character is based on Earl Hamner, who kept a journal. This inspired me to keep a journal, hoping to write some exciting stories to share later in life. While I did not write anything noteworthy enough to create my own TV series, I did write what has become a gold mine for my own reflection and self-discovery. 

For instance, when I was 15, I had a crush on a girl who didn’t return my feelings, so I wrote in my journal that I had called her a snob to her face. A couple of weeks later, I recorded in my journal that I preached my first sermon, but also noted the girl I had a crush on did not come to hear me preach, and I wondered why. Reading my journal years later, it was blatantly obvious why. Just a few days earlier, I called her a snob. Who wants to hear someone preach who just called you a snob? I didn’t see the obvious at the time, but years later, reading my journal, I could connect the dots that I couldn’t connect at the time. Around the same age, I wrote in my journal how I hoped to become a pastor someday. It is rewarding to go back to my journal and read about dreams that were fulfilled years later. Except now I don’t call people I want to share the Gospel with “snobs.” 

Sadly, after a couple of years of journaling, I stopped because I didn’t feel that what I wrote was exciting enough to record. Was I ever wrong! As I said earlier, I look back and see it as a gold mine of self-reflection and self-discovery, as well as documenting events and dates to refer back on whenever I need a timeline. By reading my old journals, I can see now what I have required to grow and how I have grown. Around 2005, Someone gave me a journal as a birthday gift, and I started journaling again, though I do not write in it nearly as often as I did as a teen. Of course, I now write on my blog and Facebook, so I can still share stories of my life. 

As we study this week’s Sabbath School Lesson, “Memorials of Grace,” I am reminded how journaling can be a memorial of grace.  In recent years, I have journaled about how God closed the door on my Bible Worker ministry only to open an even bigger door for ministry. I have journaled about how God got me out of debt after I lost my job, which is a very unique route out of debt. I have journaled about how God revealed His presence to me when my mother passed away. These miracles in my past are recorded in my journal to remind me that I never have to fear bad news. 

They do not fear bad news; they confidently trust the Lord to care for them. Psalm 112:7 NLT 

So today, I thank God for the gift of writing, whether it is in my personal journal or blogging on Sabbath School Net or social media. I hope you also take advantage of the wonderful gift of writing, and record your own tragedies and triumphs, so you can look back and read and re-read the wonderful things the Lord has brought you through and done for you. I feel that, like me, you will also learn some things about yourself as you read your old stories. 

By the way, at camp meetings and while traveling, I will meet people who tell me they have been following my blog for a long time. Some of them have never commented, so I had no idea they were even following me. So, whether you have commented or not, I want to thank you for reading my blogs. Thank you for being someone I can share my stories with. By sharing my stories with you, I have been able to share my life with you. That makes you very special to me. Thank you.