Tag / Pastor Inverness Seventh-day Adventist Church

by In Light Of The Cross

Love Gives Purpose

For the love of Christ compels us…. 2 Corinthians 5:14 NKJV

People talk about how hard life is because they got married and had childen so early, or did not even get married at all and had children young. Or Life is hard becuase they did not get to finish school and get thier degree. The list goes on for reasons people say their life is hard. Here is the thing though, even if you don’t marry young, even if you get your degree, life is hard. And no, I am not saying its okay to have children without getting married first. What I am saying is, no matter what route we take in life, life is hard. Some trials and tribulations we bring on ourselves, while other trials and tribulations have nothing to do with our choices. At the end of the day, either way, life is hard. The question is, what helps us carry on through the storms of life til we get to sunnier days? The answer is love.

I have always been amazed at the trials and tribulations some people survive. I have read about people who survived concentration camps in world war 2. I have read about people who were lost at sea or in a jungle for days but still survied. I have read about people who endured and survived after an abusive relationship. What I have found is the people who surived did so because they knew they were loved. This love gave them the purpose to survive. Many times we think we are in the pursuit of happines when in reality we are in the pursuit of purpose. Fact is, we can survive uhappaniness as long as we know there is a purpose. It is love that gives us purpose. Many say they survived the concentration camps because they knew someone else was depending on them for hope and meaning. People have found ways to survive lost in the elements of nature, knowing someone was longing for them and searching for them. People have survived abusive relationships so they could love and protect someone more vulnerable than themselves.

On the other hand those who gave up, did not give up because life became too hard or difficult. Again, life is hard and difficult for us all, even for those who survive. Many have given up because they did not realize how loved they were. The crux of the great controversy between Christ and Satan is love. God is love, and the biggest lie in the universe has nothing to do with which day is sacred or what happens when you die. Satan’s biggest and most dangerous lie is that you are not loved. Everything hinges on this one Truth and that is that you are loved. Satan wants nothing more than to cast a huge cloud over you, so you can’t see God’s love shining on you or feel its warmth. If he can do that then it really doesn’t matter which day is sacred or what happens when you die. If Satan can make you feel unloved then all other Bible facts are meaningless. Life has no purpose without love. Think about it, God is kove. Without love God has no purpose. If Satan can convince you that God does not love you then He has just asassinated God in your mind. By convincing you God does not love you, Satan has just accomplished his purpose of removing God from the universe. Friend, it is very important not just to you but to the whole fabric of the universe that you understand that huge cloud hanging over you making you feel unloved is nothing more than a big fat lie! Love is not only the foundation to your personal wellbeing it is the foundation of the universe.

And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13 NKJV

If there is no love then there is nothing to have faith in or hope for. If there is no love then there is no purpose not only for you but for the entire universe. This is why babies born prematuely need to be held. Love gives purpose to survive without the baby even being counsiously aware of the fact. This is why my fourth grade teacher had to tell my class if we forgot everything else we learned that year she wanted us to remember she loved us. She knew that love was the motivation for learning. Without love knowledge has no purupose. In 1977 Reggie Jackson hit three home runs in a world series game for the New York Yankees. Later he said he never felt loved in New York till he hit those three home runs. I think its rather sad he felt like you have to hit three home runs in a world series game in order to feel loved.If that is so, then a lot of us are unloved! I also find it interesting that after several championship rings and millions of dollars, he was still talking about whether people loved him or not. This just reminds me there is no purpose in the universe without love.

Well I have good news for Reggie Jackson, my fourth grade class, every baby born prematurely and for ever person in the world. You are loved!

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:31-39 NKJV

When trials and tribulations cast a dark cloud over you, making you feel isolated and unloved, remember that dark could is nothing more than a big fat lie! You are loved. You are beyond loved. God sacrifed all He had for you. There is nothing God spared in this entire universe to make you know you are loved. Not only does this love give you purpose it gives God His true identty back. Without love not only is your life all out of whack, the entire universe is out of whack. Do you see why God’s love is so crucial to the great controversy between Christ and Satan? God is love, and God exists to shower His love on His creation. By making you feel unloved not only is Satan robbibng you of purpose, He is robbing God of His purpose! I want to make this clear. By making you feel unloved Satan is not assasinating you, He is assasinating God’s character and purpose for exisitng.

Thankfully love conquers all. Because of love we have the purpose to survive anything Satan throws our way. Because of love babies born prematurely not only can surive, but grow up to do such amazing things you would never guess they were once premature babies. Becuase of love my 4th grade class not only surived 4th grade but are barrelling into 2025 with all kinds of accomplishments and contributions that make those huge speed bumps in 4th grade look like little pebbles in the road, too small to even notice or remember. To be honest with you, I don’t even remember what we were struggling with that day our teacher had to lecture us. I can still see the look on her face and remeber there was a serious issue at the time, but for the life of me all I can remeber now is that we were loved. Whatever it was we survived, because here it is 2025 and we are not in 4th grade anymore. It’s amazing what you can survive and go on to accomplish when you know you are loved.

Remember the biggest fattest lie in the great controversy is that you are not loved. It doesn’t matter if you know what day is sacred or any other doctrine. With that one lie that you are not loved the entire frabric of the universe is thrown off kilter. There is no greater truth that needs to be preached right now than the truth that God is love. Without this one truth no other truths have purpose. Don’t let your fear of rejection keep you from showing love. Don’t let the fear of your love being unreturned keep you from showing love. Don’t let the fear of your love being unnapreciated keep you from sharing love. Keep sharing love until God has won the great controversy. God is love.

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

by In Light Of The Cross

Follow Me

Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.” This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, “Follow Me.” Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also had leaned on His breast at the supper, and said, “Lord, who is the one who betrays You?”Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, “But Lord, what about this man?” Jesus said to him, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.” John 21:18-22 NKJV

Jesus’ gentle reminder to Peter is a reminder for us as well. How often do we as humans, get distracted by what is going on with other humans, when we are supposed to be following Jesus? In John 5:1-15, a man is distracted by the pool, and those getting in before him, and wondering why no one would help him. Finally he takes his eyes off the pool and those around him. He casts his eyes on Jesus and finds healing. In Matthew 11:1-11 John the Baptist begins to doubt when his faith could not see beyond the prison walls. John may have wondered, “Am I going to be left here to die? Why doesn’t God senfd a chariot of fire to come pick me up like He did for Elijah? Surely I deserve to be lifted up above the crowd in the same fashion as Elijah? Why wouldn’t God do for me the same as He did for Elijah? “Granted, I don’t know if John the Baptist ever thought that or not, but it sure seems he could have. If so, he would have just been human like the rest of us, including Peter, who was wanting to compare his fate to the fate of the other disciple.  Thus Jesus’ simple yet profound reminder to Peter and the rest of us, “What is that to you? You follow me.” 

When I was young, you never even heard the term “turnover rate” used for pastors. If someone was a pastor you knew they would be a pastor for life. Now there is such a thing as a turnover rate  for pastors. With respect for the office diminishing, (Some of which is deserved but that is another lesson for another time.) increased conflict arises between congregations and pastors.  Overwhelming stress, lack of support and feelings of isolation, like I am sure John the Baptist felt, have many pastors leaving for greener pastures.  Now I have no doubt God may lead some pastors into another realm of service, but in most cases could it be the pastor is looking at greener pastures instead of looking to Jesus? Could it be the pastor is looking at the conflicts in the church instead of looking to Jesus? Could it be the pastor is comparing the respect given to pastors years ago with the respect he is given today? Could it be the pastor simply needs to do what the man  in John 5 did and take his eyes off the pool and everyone around him, and place them on Jesus?  Jesus, who was spit upon, beaten and crucified, does not tell us to compare ourselves to other pastors. He tells us to follow Him. Where did Jesus go? He went to the cross. Again I do not know what John the Baptist was thinking while confined by those prison walls, but I sure hope he was not comparing his ministry to Elijah and that chariot of fire that came and took him away. I hope he was looking to Jesus, as John did in a real sense follow Christ to the cross. 

I know I am not telling you anything new, but today you may just need to be reminded, when you were baptized you did not give your heart to man, you gave it to Jesus. If people are letting you down in your ministry, rest assured people were never meant to be your solution. Has the church let you down? No worries, the church was never promised to be there for you. Psalm 46:1 tells us God is our ever present help in times of trouble.  Don’t feel betrayed if the conference did not come through for you on a benefit you thought you were entitled to. The conference did not call you into ministry, God did, and the only benefit He promised you was a cross. You work for God and not for man. See Ephesians 6:7. When you were baptized Jesus did not promise you a chariot of fire. He did not promise you special honor and privilages, He did not promise everyone would love you. On the contrary He told you all would hate you for His sake. See Matthew 24:9. When Jesus asked you to follow Him the only thing He promised you was a cross. 

Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.Luke 9:23 NKJV

You may be reading this thinking, “But I am not a pastor” but you are! The New Testament teaches the priesthood of all believers, and you have been called to pastor in some realm, which could be an actual church, or classroom, workplace or neighborhood.  Wherever God is calling you to serve, please take your eyes off the “pool,” take your eyes off that other disciple who you think may have been given a better deal. Take your eyes off the people who are not cooperating and supporting you as you think you deserve. Place your eyes on Jesus, the Lamb who was freshly slain, and as He becons you with His nailed scarred hands, drown out all the noise from the crowd around you as He pleads, “Follow me.” 

Will you? 

by In Light Of The Cross

They Made her a Whore, Jesus Made her a Woman

Noticing that John 8:1-11 was not included in the current quarter’s study on Themes in the Gospel of John, I thought I would reshare an article I contributed in the past on the subject. 

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. Romans 8:1 NKJV

He told her he loved her. Said she was beautiful. Promised her she would be special. Next thing she knew she was being dragged out of bed by the friends of him who had dragged her into bed, and he who had praised and flattered her just stood and watched her being dragged away.

Now she was kneeling half naked, humiliated before Jesus. Eyes closed, not wanting to see the stones that would soon be crushing her head, she waited in terror. It seemed like eternity. When would it be over?

Barely peeking through one eye she sees Jesus doing something in the sand. Not sure what. She hears footsteps as men walk away. What is going on? Then she hears a word she had not heard in years directed at her.

“Woman…”

Jesus didn’t call her a “slut,” or “whore.” He called her “woman.” He was addressing her with the same title of respect that He gave to his own mother, who spoke with angels and gave birth to the Son of God.

“….where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?” John 8:10 NKJV

She opens her eyes and looks around. They are all gone! She makes no accusations against the men. We know little about the background of this woman. She may or may not have been a victim of sex trafficking. But we do know that, terrified as she was, she was ready to face the consequences without blaming anyone else for the choices she had made, and the role she had played, which now brought her half-naked and humiliated into the presence of Jesus. Yet incredibly, as guilty as she was, it was her accusers who slunk away. As she lay helpless at His feet, there was no one to condemn her! When we fall helplessly at the feet of Jesus, there is no condemnation for us either.

He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?” (John 8:10 NKJV)

She said, “No one, Lord.” (John 8:11 NKJV)

What was next? A sermon? A lecture? Nowhere is it recorded, but I can imagine Jesus placing His coat over her near-naked body.

The Holy One Who would be hanging naked on a cross in front of the entire universe one day, takes off His robe and covers this woman, protecting her human dignity more than just covering her sexuality.

He doesn’t preach to her. He ministers to her.

Did you know you don’t have to be a preacher to be a minister? Ministering to sinners doesn’t always have to include a sermon. An-ill timed sermon can do more harm than good. Jesus could preach with the best of them, but He knew when to preach and when not to preach. He also knew when to minister.

He called her “woman.” He placed His coat over her near-naked body and gave her the sense of dignity she had been promised by the man who betrayed her trust. Then He did not preach to her with words, He ministered to her with words.

“Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” John 8:11 NKJV

His words were brief and clear, yet somehow we get them mixed up. Have we ever told someone “Go and sin no more, and then I will stop condemning you?” That’s not what Jesus said.

Jesus said clearly, “Neither do I condemn you.” Present tense.

“Go and sin no more.” Future tense.

Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more.” What Jesus did not say was, “If you go and sin no more then I won’t condemn you.” 

The world told her they would stop condemning her once she stopped sinning. Jesus promised not to condemn her, so she could stop sinning.

They called her a whore and a slut.
Jesus called her a woman.

A man promised her she would be special, and then humiliated and betrayed her.
Jesus gave her dignity back and made her special.

There was no condemnation for this woman at the feet of Jesus, and there is no condemnation for you, when you kneel at the feet of Jesus.

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. Romans 8:1 NKJV

Jesus does not condemn us, so we too may walk in the Spirit instead of the flesh.

You may Study this week’s Sabbath School lesson here.

by In Light Of The Cross

Fanatical and Extreme, or Just in Love With Jesus?

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He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Romans 8:32 NKJV

Was the Father being fanatical when He gave us His Son, or was He just in love with us? Is the Father being extreme when He gives us all things or is He just in love with us?

In John 12:1-8, a woman comes to Jesus with an extremely expensive bottle of perfume. She anoints Jesus with this costly perfume as an expression of her love and appreciation for the incredible sacrifice Jesus was making for her. She was a sinner, saved by the love of Jesus, and she simply wanted to give all she had for Jesus because Jesus was giving all He had for her. However, some of the disciples, including Judas, took exception to her gift. They called it a waste of money that could have been used to help the poor. John points out though that instead of helping the poor, Judas was using the poor fund to benefit himself. This leads me to a couple of conclusions.

Judas called the woman out for being “wasteful” simply because he was not as giving and did not want to look bad. So how do you make yourself look perfectly balanced while still being selfish? You label the unselfish woman as being fanatical and accuse her of extremism. Do some do this today? Others make reforms in their diet or behavior that we are not willing to make, so to make ourselves look balanced we have to make the unselfish person look unbalanced and extreme or fanatical. By pushing them into the far-right category that moves us into the perfectly moderate and balanced category. However, this woman was not being legalistic, fanatical, extreme, or unbalanced. She was simply in love with Jesus. She was simply giving all she had because Jesus was giving her all He had. This should be the natural reaction of all who have experienced the love of Christ today. Just because someone is making changes that we are not willing to make does not mean that they are unbalanced or extreme fanatics. It could just mean that they love Jesus and want to show their appreciation for His love and sacrifice by making a few sacrifices themselves. That is what love does.

Going back to Judas acting like he was really interested in the poor while only serving himself, how many times have we said, “I wish I was rich so I could give to the poor?” What are we really saying? Could we really be saying, “I wish I was rich so I could give to the poor without having to sacrifice?” Jesus pointed out to Judas that poor have always been there and he can help them anytime he wants. Likewise, we can help the poor anytime we want if we are willing to sacrifice. Do we really wish we had more money to give to the poor or do we just wish we had more money so we could give to the poor without it being such a sacrifice? Keep in mind when the Father gave everything including His son, it was a sacrifice. Is there any other way that we can genuinely respond to such love without also making a real sacrifice?

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

by In Light Of The Cross

Truth is not a Popularity Contest

And all the people who belong to this world worshiped the beast. Revelation 13:8 NLT

Sadly, many put their confidence in popular opinion, while the Bible tells us the vast majority of the world will worship the beast.

Interestingly while Jesus claimed to be God, the majority accused Him of blasphemy and had Him crucified for making such a claim. Later the beast claims to be God, but instead of accusing him of blasphemy, the majority worships him. Truth is clearly not a popularity contest. 

Occasionally, at church or the Adventist school where I teach Bible and evangelism, someone will ask me, “What do we believe about such and such?” My response has always been, “I don’t know what you believe, but here is what I and many Seventh-day Adventists believe,” and I show them in the Bible what I believe and why. I am not going to tell someone what they believe. That is not teaching. That’s brainwashing.  Besides, truth is not truth just because everyone in the Adventist church believes it. Truth is not a popularity contest in the church or the world. Truth is truth only if the Bible supports it. 

During the Dark Ages, when people did not have access to the Bible, people trusted their priests to tell them what they believed, and because of that there was a lot of brainwashing going on.

Even before the Dark Ages, priests abused their authority and tried to brainwash people into believing whatever they believed. This happened in Jesus’ day when those in “authority” were trying to capture Jesus.

When the Temple guards returned without having arrested Jesus, the leading priests and Pharisees demanded, “Why didn’t you bring him in?”

“We have never heard anyone speak like this!” the guards responded.

“Have you been led astray, too?” the Pharisees mocked. “Is there a single one of us rulers or Pharisees who believes in him? John 7:45-48 NLT

The guards experienced and heard the Word of God speaking to them and believed. Since the Pharisees did not want to believe, they mocked at this. In John 7 the Pharisees misconstrued Scripture to try and prove their point, but amazingly, instead of hanging their hat on Scripture, they hung it on the fact that none of the rulers or leaders believed. Is truth a popularity contest? If everyone else believes something is it right, and if no one else believes it, then is it wrong? Is that how it works? 

The number of people who believe something simply because everyone else believes it is staggering. Take the state of the dead for example. Years ago I attended the funeral of a dear Adventist saint. Her family believed in the immortality of the soul and asked the Adventist preacher doing her funeral to “put her in heaven now.” The pastor replied that he could not do that since it simply is not true. However, he told them he believed in liberty of conscience and freedom of speech so if one of them wanted to stand up and say she was in heaven, they could. So, one of the family members stood up and talked about how her grandmother was now in heaven. I remember she kept saying “we cling to this!” Very emphatically, yet she gave no Scriptural reference other than that is what everyone believes. So, I am not sure exactly what she was clinging to other than popular belief. In 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 Paul tells us to “comfort each other with these words” about the resurrection. Sadly, instead of comforting each other with the words Paul told us to use to comfort each other, many people use phrases about going straight to heaven when you die that are nowhere in the Bible and Paul nor anyone else ever suggested that we use. Sadly those phrases have been used so often that people believe it because they have heard it so many times. 

When it comes to Sabbath keeping, I have heard so many people say that Sunday must be the true day because the whole world can’t be wrong. They forget that at the time of the flood only 8 people were right! Truth is not a popularity contest. 

And the people of Berea were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul’s message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth. Acts 17:11 NLT

Like the temple guards, the Bereans were interested in new ideas if they were found in Scripture. They didn’t believe something because Paul and Silas believed it or because a ruler did. On their own they searched the Scriptures daily to find the truth.

I have heard Seventh-day Adventists telling their Baptist and Methodist friends to search the Bible for themselves because their pastors could be wrong. I have watched some of the same Seventh-day Adventists listening to their own favorite Adventist preachers, without bothering to search the Scriptures, because, after all, their pastor is Adventist, so he is automatically right, right? Wrong! We all make mistakes, as we all continue to learn and grow.

Let’s not be like the foolish Pharisees in John 7, who hung their hats on how many people believed or did not believe something. Truth is not a popularity contest. Let’s search the Scriptures ourselves to find truth. 

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

by In Light Of The Cross

A Divine Affirmation for an Ordinary guy

Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!” John 1:47 NKJV

We don’t hear much about Nathanael before or after this story. Nathanael does not go on to be a world renowned preacher. If he wrote anything it was never published in the Cannon. There is no record of him parting the waters, or calling fire down from heaven. By all accounts he was just an ordinary guy, but wow, what an awesome affirmation he received from God. Before Nathanael met Jesus, Jesus already knew him by name and publicly recognized his integrity. I am more than happy to just remain a common ordinary guy, so long as I can hear Jesus one day say about me what He said about Nathanel. Such an affirmation coming from God means way more to me than all the worldly accomplishments and fame this world can give. 

Nathanael is not the only “ordinary guy” that God knew by name and held in high esteem. In Exodus 31:1-6 God calls out Bezalel and Aholiab by name as the “construction workers” he wanted working on the temple. He even said they were filled with His Spirit, so God not only fills priests and pastors with His Spirit, He fills people in all walks of life.  In Nehemiah 3:1-32 Nehemiah calls out several construction workers by name, who made repairs in rebuilding Jerusalem. A few weeks ago, Florida, where I live was hit by two hurricanes. Linemen came from all over the country, and even some from Canada to help restore electricity to our communities. All our churches were praying for these linemen. In Revelation 1:20 we see how Jesus holds His ministers in His hands, but I realized that God also knew these linemen by name and held them in His hands as well. 

The world may have some kind of hierarchy, but we all stand on level ground at the foot of the cross and in the presence of God. God does not esteem us according to our fame or worldly status. We may be just ordinary folk to the world, but still be precious in the eyes and in the hands of God. I would gladly trade all the praise and esteem this world has to give just to hear Jesus say about me, “Behold, a man indeed, in whom is no deceit!”  By God’s grace, no matter what our positions or worldly titles may be, no matter how common or ordinary we may appear, we may all hear Jesus tell us, 

“Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.” Matthew 25:21 NKJV

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

by In Light Of The Cross

Jesus Grew the Tree

A long time  ago, when I was a teenager, a country singer by the name of Barbara Mandrell, sang, “He grew the tree that He knew would be used to make the old rugged cross.” The song brought out, that even at creation Jesus was planning our redemption. This song could not be any truer.

In Genesis 2:16-17 ESV God says, “of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” We all know Adam and Eve did not die the day they ate of the forbidden fruit. Man has been trying to make excuses for God ever since.

Some say, well they began to die. However that is not what God said. He did not say you will begin to die the day you eat of the fruit. He said you will die in the day you eat of the fruit. Others say, they died spiritually that day. I don’t even know what the means! Sounds profound enough, I guess, but what does it mean? Besides, God did not say you will die spiritually the day you eat of the fruit. He said you will die – drop dead the day you eat of it. So what kept Adam and Eve from dropping dead the day they ate of the fruit?

Instead of trying to make up weak excuses for God, let’s let God’s Word explain itself. He does not need any help from us to get out of this  jam. We find the answer at the other end of the Bible. Revelation 13:8 tells us Jesus was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. There is our answer! God did not need us bailing Him out by making up our own theories about beginning to die or dying spiritually that day. Revelation 13:8 lets us know that Jesus’ death on the cross had already taken effect. God calls things that are not yet, as though they already were. Just like I can cut and paste, just as I am writing this post in Microsoft Word, God can cut and paste through time and eternity and put the cross at the foundation of the world.

Jesus is truly the Savior of the whole world, as His sacrifice sustains not only the believer but the unbeliever as well. Adam and Eve were not believers; they were running from God. But they still had their breath that day because of the cross of Christ and the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. God told Abraham in Genesis 12:3, “and in thee [Abraham’s Seed which was Christ] shall all families of the earth be blessed.” Notice God said all families will be “blessed,” or benefit from the cross. That includes Christians, Jews, Muslims, and atheists. They all benefit the same way Adam and Eve did.

The reason Adam and Eve did not drop dead the same day they ate the fruit was because Jesus was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, and His death had already taken effect. The reason we do not drop dead the same day we sin, is because of the cross of Christ as well.

Believer and unbeliever benefit from the cross. This is what John was talking about in 1 John 2:2 ESV. He writes, “He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.” John was writing to believers when he said “not  for ours only,” the believers, but the whole world! An inspired writer, 1,800 years after John, echoes the same sentiments.

“To the death of Christ we owe even this earthly life. The bread we eat is the purchase of His broken body. The water we drink is bought by His spilled blood. Never one, saint or sinner, eats his daily food, but he is nourished by the body and the blood of Christ. The cross of Calvary is stamped on every loaf.” – Ellen White, Desire of Ages, page 660.

Every breath we breathe is brought to us courtesy of the cross. People curse God with the very breath that He died to give them!

This idea of Jesus beginning our redemption even at creation runs all through the Bible. 

Then the King will say to those on his right, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” 9Matthew 25:34 ESV)

… even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love. (Ephesians  1:4 ESV)

in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began (Titus 1:2)

Yes! Jesus created the tree He knew would be used to make the old rugged cross. Even at creation He was beginning our redemption. He died to give us probationary time. Not a probationary time to see if God will accept us – He already has accepted us from the foundation of the world – but time to see if we will accept Jesus and His life-changing love.

If we choose to accept His love, Jesus tells us in John 11:26 ESV, “everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?.” Sure, we may fall asleep like Lazarus did, but God will not abandon us in the grave. We will not experience the death and God abandonment that Jesus experienced for us on the cross when He cried out, ‘My God, My God, why have you forsaken me!”

The cross echoes throughout time and space from every corner of eternity, telling us God is love! The Gospel begins at creation.

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

by In Light Of The Cross

Remembering the Persecuted During Pastor Appreciation Month

“For Christ’s love compels us…..” 2 Corinthians‬ ‭5‬:‭14‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Around the world, some children get baptized and are given a celebration dinner with nice gifts.

Around the world, other  children get baptized and get beaten by their parents and disowned by their family.

Around the world this month, some pastors will be given warm greeting cards, with beautiful gifts.

Around the world this month, other pastors will be persecuted and killed for sharing the Gospel.

It’s not a fair world, is it? One child being celebrated by her family when being baptized, and another child being disowned by her family when baptized. One pastor is lauded by his church family while another pastor is condemned by his church family while both are doing the same job. This is where we need to remember why we do what we do. Is it for gifts and rewards? Is it for praise and appreciation? Or does the love of Christ compel us to be baptized and share the gospel with the world? These words of Jesus are for anyone who follows Him. They are for free United States citizens as well as those in communist countries.

Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. Luke 9:23 NKJV

I was baptized over 50 years ago, and since then have totally lost my baptism certificate. I think of this every time I baptize someone and given them their certificate. But Christ did not give his followers certificates. He did not give them a nice Hallmark card congratulating them for their decision. He did not give them a nice devotional book as a gift. He gave them a cross to go die on. 

It is not the fear of punishment, or the hope of everlasting reward, that leads the disciples of Christ to follow Him. They behold the Saviour’s matchless love, revealed throughout His pilgrimage on earth, from the manger of Bethlehem to Calvary’s cross, and the sight of Him attracts, it softens and subdues the soul. Love awakens in the heart of the beholders. They hear His voice, and they follow Him.-Ellen White, Desire of Ages, Page 480. 

I have shared the story before how years ago I was at an awards banquet for literature evangelists, when I fist started canvassing. I was mesmerized by the plagues and trophies –I wanted one so bad. So I went and worked hard all year to earn my trophy, and by the ed of the year I had led my conference in sales. I was so disappointed when the conference canceled the awards ceremony that year! I became bitter. But a while after that I found myself in an old cemetery.  As I walked around, reading the words on each gravestone, I felt the Holy Spirit asking me, “Why are you alive today, William?” After considering this question and all the suffering that is going on in the world, I realized I was not alive to win trophies and awards. I was alive to share the hope of the Gospel with a hurt and dying world. The words of an old hymn suddenly had new meaning,

 Till my trophies at last I lay down; I will cling to the old rugged cross,

Alone in that cemetery that day I understood, Jesus was not handing out plaques and trophies. He was not handing out gift cards and greeting cards. He handed me a cross to die on. In that cemetery I gained a clear vison of my calling. Trophies, plaques and gift cards can’t forgive sins or heal broken hearts. They can’t give hope to a dying world. I picked up my cross to follow Jesus.

Later I became a Bible Worker and served many years in three conferences, until one day a couple of years back I got a call from the Florida Conference to pastor a three-church district. Many of my friends and family celebrated this call. I greatly appreciated the encouragement. However I realized once again, I have been given a cross. My three congregations have been very wonderful to me. They encourage me when I do well, and they are graceful when I fail. Either way – no matter how I do  – they love me because Jesus’ love is in their hearts. I realize not all pastors have loving congregations. While I am being loved even though I made a big mistake other pastors are being persecuted while doing exactly what was right. 

This month is  pastor appreciation month around the world. As a pastor who is loved unconditionally by God and my three churches, I encourage us all this month to be mindful of those who are serving under persecution. Let’s also remember those who serve as lay pastors while also working at a vocation to support themselves instead of being paid by the church. They work hard for their churches and do just as good a job as full time conference paid pastors. They make a sacrifice by working hard at a vocation and then also working hard for their church. Let’s also remember the children who are being persecuted for their faith in Jesus. There are children who have tasted persecution for their faith, like this pastor has never tasted. I have a comfy job as a pastor in the United States, while there are children who could preach sermons about their personal experiences with persecution that would put me to shame. And yes, please give what you can in ways of support to these worthy ministers. Since I am already spoiled, and have way more than I deserve, for pastor appreciation month instead of giving gifts to me,  please send a donation to the Seventh-day Adventist Chinese Union Mission (You will probably want to click on or touch the “EN” at the top right corner. of the page to see the English-language site.) On the donation link there is a section called “other.” I have been told by a pastor near that area that you can write, “persecuted missionaries” in that section and they will get it to help those being persecuted. 

I can’t speak for all pastors in the United States, but what I need more than anything is words of inspiration and to know that you are praying for me. As far as gift cards go, there are persecuted pastors around the world who need and deserve your monetary gifts much more than I do. Let’s make sure all the pastors, lay pastors, missionaries, and lay evangelists get the love and support they need this month and always. 

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

by In Light Of The Cross

Jesus; The Model Disciple, Part 2

Last week we were looking at how Jesus not only made and taught disciples, He was a disciple of the Father. Jesus gave us the perfect model for being a disciple. Last week we saw Jesus modeled being a disciple by reflecting the image of God, which we saw can only be done by community as God is community. 

No wonder why Satan wants to divide and isolate us! Satan knows love is community and the image of God is reflected only through community. It is also by community that we grow into the image of God. In isolation we grow selfish and self-focused. In community we get on each other’s nerves and drive each other crazy sometimes as part of the growth process. During this process it is tempting to want to run away sometimes and be alone, and that may actually be a momentary solution, but not for the long haul. It may be the brother or sister who is rubbing you the wrong way who is actually polishing your character for heaven.

Sometimes it is tempting to pray that the person annoying us would just go away, but consider this: Saul was a humble man when he became king, but later ego got in the way and destroyed him. When Saul became king no one gave him any trouble. Is that why he became proud and finally let his ego destroy him? I ask this, because when David is anointed king he has opposition from Saul, which kept David humble and may have ended up saving his soul. The person we think Satan sent as a curse may be the person God sent to keep us humble in order to save our soul for eternity. 

When tempted to pray that those bothering us would just go away let’s keep in mind, 

Joseph did not try to get rid of his brothers. His brothers tried to get rid of Joseph.

David did not try to get rid of Saul. Saul tried to get rid of David.

Mordecai did not try to get rid of Haman. Haman tried to get rid of Mordecai.

Jesus did not try to get rid of the pharisees. The Pharisees tried to get rid of Jesus. 

In each case it is the unconverted person who is trying to get rid of the converted person, so keep that in mind whenever you are tempted to pray that God would get rid of someone. Discipleship is all about reflecting the character of God, and God is love and love is community. Love is also seeking to save the lost. 

for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Luke 19:10 NKJV

Jesus did not spend all his time with church people. He spend His time with some pretty rough sinners. He mentored them, ate with them and taught them to follow Him. I imagine if Jesus were here on earth today His cell phone contact list would be filled with names and numbers of unchurched people. Look at your cell phone contact list. How many unchurched people are on your list? This may give you an idea as to how well you are following the Model Disciple. How many unchurched people do you invite to your home? What is your attitude towards sinners in your church?

A while back I was teaching a new believers Sabbath School class, and a young man showed up who was obviously unchurched. In sharing with us his struggles he used a four letter word. Most all of my class were so tuned in to his feelings that they did not take special note of the four-letter word. One member later talked to me and encouraged me to let him know we don’t use that word here. Which do you find more concerning? A Sabbath school class with an unchurched man who accidentally lets one bad word slip, or a Sabbath school class where you never have to worry about hearing a foul word because that class would never dare allow an unchurched person to attend? 

My point is that discipling the way Jesus discipled may not always be pretty. Being pretty is not the goal. Seeking and saving the lost is the goal. There are a lot of difficult unchurched people who are seeking for Jesus. 

Often we regard as hopeless subjects the very ones whom Christ is drawing to Himself.-Ellen White, Christ Object Lessons, Page 72

There may be some apparently hopeless subjects in your community that the other churches in your area have spurned and turned away. Is your church ready to pray, “Jesus please send us all the hopeless outcasts the other churches in our community don’t want to deal with. Please send them to us Jesus and let our church love the people the other churches in our community refuse to love.” 

Jesus told His disciples, 

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
Matthew 28:19-20 NKJV

 This means way more than reaching out to our Catholic and Protestant brothers and sisters  with the truth about the Sabbath. It means reaching out to a secular society cutting and drugging themselves. It means reaching out to them with the good news about the Savior. To follow our Model Disciple we must reach out to and disciple apparently hopeless people just like our Model Disciple, Jesus did. 

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