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| FRIDAY | November 19 |
| “We should not only take hold of the truth, but let it take hold of us; and thus have the truth in us and we in the truth. And if this is the case, our lives and characters will reveal the fact that the truth is accomplishing something for us; that it is sanctifying us, and is giving us a moral fitness for the society of heavenly angels in the kingdom of glory. The truth we hold is from heaven; and when that religion finds a lodgement in the heart, it commences its work of refining and purifying; for the religion of Jesus Christ never makes a man rough or rude; it never makes him careless, or hard-hearted; but the truth of heavenly origin, that which comes from God, elevates and sanctifies a man; it makes courteous, kind, affectionate, and pure; it takes away his hard heart, his selfishness and love of the world, and it purifies him from pride and ungodly ambition.”—Ellen G. White, Signs of the Times, vol. 1, p. 66. |
 How far should we go in our expression of loyalty to our families, employers, and country? What are the limits to these important relationships?  Reread the Ellen White quote in Friday’s lesson study. What evidence can you see in your own life that the truth has taken hold of you? While it’s important to focus on Christ and not on ourselves, we also need to be honest with ourselves about where we stand in regard to the faith (2 Cor. 13:5).  Many evil acts have been done throughout history by those who said, “I was only following orders.” How are we as Christians to deal with situations when we are ordered to do things that we know are wrong? More important, how can we develop the kind of faith we need to stand firm, even when it means defying orders, when it could be very costly to ourselves and to our loved ones?  Is it practical or even possible to forgive and forget when we have been hurt? What principles can we learn from this week’s study about forgiveness, lack of forgiveness, and the consequences of not forgiving?  Oil tycoon John D. Rockefeller used unscrupulous business practices in order to buy out competitors. He would justify his actions by telling competitors that they needed to sell their companies to him and let him take on the risks of the oil business for them. “Get into the ark,” he would tell them, making it sound like he was doing something charitable for them when, in fact, he was swallowing them up. What lessons can we learn from this about how easy it is to justify immoral deeds? |
| I N S I D E Story | ||
| Called Out Bobby Issai sat on the wooden step of his simple home in a village in Papua New Guinea. He wrinkled his forehead trying to make sense of what he was reading. He had never questioned his church's teachings until a friend gave him a Bible. But as he read it, questions flooded his mind. Why do we baptize by sprinkling when the Bible speaks of baptism by immersion? What is this Sabbath that's spoken of throughout the Bible? Bobby became convinced that the Sabbath, not Sunday, was God's holy day, and that he must keep it. But how? He knew of no church that wor¬shiped on Saturday. Bobby determined to follow God, even if he was the only one who did. He shared his convictions with others, and a small group began meeting with him on Sabbath to study the Bible. The group grew to 20 people before villagers complained to local church leaders. Bobby was told to stop meeting, and when he refused he was forced to leave the village. Bobby moved to another village and again shared his faith. Soon 30 people were meeting with him. Once more village leaders complained to the local religious leaders, who removed Bobby's name from the church membership. Bobby was relieved, for at last he was free to worship without restraint. But still the question gnawed at him: Where could he find a church that observed the Sabbath? How could he find a pastor to teach them? Bobby got into his canoe and paddled down the river to the nearest city in search of a church that kept the Sabbath. He was directed to a nearby Seventh-day Adventist church. On Sabbath morning Bobby rejoiced as he entered the church and listened to the members singing hymns of praise to God. After the worship service a young man introduced Bobby to the pastor. Bobby told the pastor about the little group of believers up the river, and the pastor agreed to return with Bobby to teach them. The pastor spent three days with the believers, encouraging and teaching them. He returned often to teach the little group. Bobby continued studying with the little group, and two years later Bobby and his wife were among those baptized. The group swelled to almost 50, and they were assigned a regular pastor. Although some have fallen away, Bobby and the faithful believers continue to share their faith and claim God's promises. Almost a half million Seventh-day Adventists live in Papua New Guinea. Our mission offerings help train and supply lay workers such as Bobby to lead their fellow villagers to greater truths found in the Bible. | ||
| Produced by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission. email: info@adventistmission.org website: www.adventistmission.org |
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