View this lesson in a browser and print a "take-away" weekly copy. CLICK HERE (see link below)
Further Study:
Discussion Questions:
| FRIDAY | February 25 |
| “If God cares for a sparrow . . . how will he care for the purchase of the blood of Christ? One soul is worth more than all the world. For one soul Jesus would have passed through the agony of Calvary that that one might be saved in his kingdom. ‘Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.’ ”—Ellen G. White, The Review and Herald, May 3, 1892. “We lose many and rich blessings because we neglect to seek the Lord with humble hearts. When we come to Him in sincerity of heart, asking Him to reveal our defects, He will show us a true picture of ourselves, reflected in the mirror of His Word. Then, having seen ourselves as God sees us, let us not go away forgetting what manner of men we are. Let us study critically the features of our character that are defective, and seek for grace to make them like the pattern presented in the Word of God.”—Ellen G. White, The Lake Union Herald, November 3, 1909. The two paragraphs above give us additional insight to maintain the balance between inferiority and vanity. Read Romans 12:2, 3 in the light of these texts to gain understanding into attaining a balanced self-concept. |
The twentieth century was one of the most violent ever, with mass murder seen on a scale as never before. How could the Darwinian view of human existence, which postulates that all life is a product of random mutation and natural selection, be partially responsible for this total disregard for the sanctity of human life? In other words, if human beings are just advanced apes, products of chance alone, what is the inherent value of an individual life? 
Tuesday’s lesson looked at how the perceptions of others can impact a person’s self-worth. Though we want to affirm people and help them have a healthy sense of self-worth, we also need to be careful about feeding someone’s ego and pumping them up in ways that could be detrimental to them. How can we strike the right balance here: affirming folk without, in the process, damaging them in a different way? 
Dwell more on the question of what the cross of Christ teaches us about our individual worth. Think about what happened at the cross, who was on it, and what His death meant. How should the Cross help us have a better sense of what our individual worth really is? | I N S I D E Story | ||
| The Stubborn Businessman by BRITTO AMAL RAJ I am a stubborn man. I thought I could solve all my problems without God's help. But God showed me otherwise. When I opened my own business, I met unforeseen financial chal-lenges that brought stress on my family and me. My wife urged me to ask her parents for a loan to help us pay our bills, but I was proud and refused. As the stress increased, so did my smoking and drinking. The family begged me to quit, so I hid my habits from them. I went to church with my family on Sundays, but I returned home unchanged. The Seventh-day Adventist pastor is one of my neighbors, and we became friends. During one especially difficult time, I asked him for advice and prayer regarding my financial problems. I needed to order a shipment of rags with which to make floor mats, but I had no money to pay for them. Without the rags, I couldn't make mats to earn money. The pastor prayed with me and encouraged me to trust God. The next day, I received an unexpected shipment of rags. I called the company and learned that they had sent the rags without an order, and I could pay over time. This was an answer to prayer! I made the mats, paid for the rags, and had money for my other bills. Now the company sends shipments on credit, and my business is growing. I began to think more about my relationship with God. When the pastor invited me to visit the Adventist church, I went. I began seeing my sinful life through God's eyes, and I asked God for forgiveness and strength to give up my bad habits. I threw away my cigarettes and alcohol. I struggled with these temptations, but God delivered me, and I haven't smoked or drank since then. My pastor friend helped me commit my life completely to God. He studied the Bible with me, and I was baptized. I'm sharing what I learn with my wife, and she listens. She sees the miracles that God has performed in our lives, and while she doesn't yet attend church with me, she does join me for prayer every morning to commit our lives and family to God. Your mission offerings help support the ongoing work in India, where nearly a million Adventist believers live and share their faith. Thank you! BRETTBRITTO RAJ shares his faith in a town near Madurai, India. | ||
| Produced by the General Conference Office of Mission Awareness. email: info@adventistmission.org website: www.adventistmission.org |
No comments:
Post a Comment