Burning the Midnight Oil

For some of us, as a child, life has dealt us challenges that make us feel like nothing we do will ever amount to anything. Sometimes we are born into families where we are even rejected. I know all to well what those things feel like. Growing up always brought obstacles and hurdles that seemed insurmountable, even just existing was somehow not good enough. When you grow up the “outcast, the one talked about, the one talked down to and ridiculed, you grow up believing that you will never be worthy enough for the Lord. Even to the point of being disowned and thus feeling unwanted nor needed by those you call relation. But just as the Bible says, God uses all things for His good. Those same people may one day need you. Rather God needs you. And those who rejected you are now coming to you for help and aid. In the book of Judges it speaks of such a man who also went thorough that, Jephthah. From before birth his family thought less of him then others and I am sure growing up for him was challenging and difficult. Wanting so bad to just be accepted and belong. As he got older he was actually shunned to the point that he fled to another land. But we know that God always has a plan. And His plan was later to use Jephthah to help the Israelites conquer the people of Ammon. 1 Corinthians 1:26 tell us that: "For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:" KJV So when you think that you are not worthy by man, Remember you are still worthy to God. And only through Him can we accomplish great things. And God chooses those who are less chosen to do and accomplish great and mighty things, for His Glory. Elizabeth

Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein." Mark 10:15. Whosoever… the question is are you DETERMINED? Determination in the dictionary is described as firmness of purpose; resoluteness. So, the question I have for you is, are you determined? Christ does not acknowledge any caste, color or grade as being necessary to be a subject of His Kingdom. Admittance to His Kingdom does not depend upon wealth or a superior heredity. But those who are born of the Spirit are the subjects of His Kingdom. Those who are determined to be there. Spiritual character is that which will be recognized by Christ. His Kingdom is not of this world. His subjects are those who are partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. A key to change is, yup you guessed it, determination. And this grace is given them of God. Christ does not find His subjects fitted for His kingdom, but He qualifies them by His divine power. Are you determined to change? God will provide the Grace to enable you to change. Those who have been dead in trespasses and sins are quickened to spiritual life. And this can only happen if we are determined to change. We don’t have the ability to change ourselves but if we are determined, God will send His Spirit to work in us to help us to change. The faculties which God has given them for Holy purposes are refined, purified and exalted, and they are led to form characters after the divine similitude.... After the character of Christ! Christ draws them to Himself by an unseen power. He is the light of life, and He imbues them with His own Spirit. As they are drawn into the spiritual atmosphere, they see that they have been made the sport of Satan's temptations, and that they have been under his dominion; but they break the yoke of fleshly lusts, and refuse to be the servants of sin.... They realize that they have exchanged captains, and they take their directions from the lips of Jesus. As a servant looks to his master, and as a maid looks to her mistress, so these souls, drawn by the cords of love to Christ, constantly look unto Him who is the Author and Finisher of their faith. By beholding Jesus, by obeying His requirements, they increase in the knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ whom He hath sent. Thus they become changed into His image from character to character until they are distinguished from the world, and it can be written of them: “Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy” (1 Peter 2:9, 10) And this all starts with Determination! Come this Sabbath to hear the rest of the story! May God's blessings be poured out upon you as you determine to walk with Him! https://whiteestate.org/devotional/ag/02_13/ Excerpts from The Review and Herald, March 26, 1895.

I am sure like many, there has been a day that we wished we had all of the answers to life and all its problems. Well lucky for us.... we do. The Bible... God gave us our ancestry line, a history book and an instruction manual. If you have a problem we are told to go to God... That also means going to The Word. The Bible... When nothing else has the answers ( like how to find Jericho) we turn to.... The Bible... 25 "Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: 26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? 27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself." Luke 24:25-27 KJV Jesus says, "Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: 26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? What he is telling them is that it was written…. That their hope for something different should have been already solidified in the writings of Old Testament. That speak of his sacrifice and the whole sacrificial system. That indeed the Bible is our basic instructions, and if we look, study and search for answers….. we will find them. "We would have hoped" had to have been so disappointing to Jesus. After all they had witnessed first hand and experienced, and to still have wanted something else. Jesus reminded them to forget their hope and remember what they were taught and instructed to do. It was all written down for us to use, for us to study and for us to follow. As large as this book is, it really is simply “Basic” to be a Christian. To be Christ like and to Love. Our instructions are given to us, and when we follow them, we get to leave this earth to spend eternity with our King. Happy Sabbath Elizabeth

Healing is a biblical discipline that encompasses physical and emotional wholeness. This discipline will continue until we're made whole, when Jesus returns for His people. By seeking God's healing through prayer, faith, community support, scriptural meditation, repentance, healthy living, emotional healing, forgiveness, anointing with oil, and patience, we can pursue healing according to the principles found in the Bible. Remember that God is the ultimate healer, and His desire is for His people to experience restoration and wholeness in every aspect of their lives. Here are ten things Christians could pray for to promote physical and spiritual healing, along with a corresponding Bible verse from the English Standard Version (ESV) for each one: Pray for Healing from Sickness: "Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord." - James 5:14 Pray for Emotional Healing: "He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds." - Psalm 147:3 Pray for God's Comfort: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort." - 2 Corinthians 1:3 Pray for Forgiveness and Spiritual Healing: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." - 1 John 1:9 Pray for Strength in Times of Weakness: "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.'" - 2 Corinthians 12:9 Pray for Inner Peace and Calmness: "And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." - Philippians 4:7 Pray for Spiritual Renewal: "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me." - Psalm 51:10 Pray for Freedom from Fear: "For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control." - 2 Timothy 1:7 Pray for Wisdom and Guidance: "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him." - James 1:5 Pray for God's Presence: "The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit." - Psalm 34:18 These prayers encompass both physical and spiritual healing, acknowledging that God is the ultimate source of restoration and wholeness in all areas of life. By seeking God's healing and comfort through prayer and aligning their hearts with these biblical verses, Christians can promote healing in their lives and in the lives of others. Happy Sabbath Gary Snyder

Good morning ☀️ Happy New Year 🎆 Morning Manna : Starting the Year Aligned with God’s Will Wednesday, January 1, 2025 Key Scripture: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” — Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV) Devotional Thought: Welcome to a brand-new year—a blank canvas, a fresh chapter, a reset button on life. But let’s be honest. It’s easy to charge into January with big dreams and bold resolutions, only to find ourselves off-course by February. That’s why today’s focus isn’t just about starting strong—it’s about starting aligned. Proverbs 3:5-6 is more than a verse; it’s a GPS for life. It reminds us that true direction doesn’t come from leaning on our own limited understanding but from leaning into God. Trusting Him wholeheartedly means handing Him the steering wheel instead of riding shotgun, giving Him full control of our plans, priorities, and pursuits. Now, let’s be clear—alignment with God’s will doesn’t mean perfection. It means positioning. Think of it like a car that’s out of alignment. It might still move, but it’ll drift and wear down faster. Many of us are pressing the gas on life, but we’re veering off track because we’re not aligned with God’s direction. The solution? A spiritual realignment that begins with surrender. Practical Application: 1. Check Your Heart. – Alignment starts with inspection. Are there areas of your life where you’ve been leaning on your own wisdom instead of God’s Word? Identify them and invite God into those spaces. 2. Pray for Guidance. – Prayer isn’t just about speaking; it’s about listening. Spend time in God’s presence, asking Him to make His will clear as you step into this new year. 3. Walk It Out. – God’s direction doesn’t always come as a map; sometimes, it comes as a step-by-step process. Move forward in faith, trusting that He’ll light the next step as you go. Closing Encouragement: As you start this year, don’t settle for running in circles. Make 2025 the year you walk in step with God—one decision, one prayer, one act of obedience at a time. When you trust Him with all your heart, He won’t just show you the path—He’ll clear it, straighten it, and bless it. Let this be the year you stop striving and start trusting, because when your life lines up with God’s will, you’ll always arrive at the right destination—on time and on purpose. Blessings, Elder Chris Camacho

Jesus birth is far from what you’d expect a kings entrance story to be. It’s a messy story, a very messy story. And it’s messy for a reason. His story is so messy because our stories are messy. Sometimes we think our lives happened wrong. Our past was a mistake, our present is all screwed up, and our future is going to be a disaster. But through all the mess God brings order. God has good intentions and a perfect plan through every event that seems to have been a mistake. And we can trust that our lives have not been in vain. Even our screwups lead to something amazing with God at the wheel. This Christmas, take comfort in a God who turns a mess into something to bless, and has ordained a great plan through lives as screwed up as ours. Matthew 1:18-25 18. Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. 19. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily. 20. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. 21. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. 22. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, 23. Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. 24. Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: 25. And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS. “God is in Messy Stories“ Pastor Troy Wallace

We continue with the conversation between Jesus and the Jews with Jesus saying, “Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad” (John 8:56 ESV). Jesus had identified their father spiritually as the devil and now he identifies Abraham as their father in the family tree. Abraham is not only their father, but he is the father of the whole Church (See the genealogy of Jesus Christ in Matthew 1:1 – 17). Spiritually, Abraham looked ahead and saw the coming of Jesus and what that meant for the people of faith. In some way God allowed Abraham to see the coming of Jesus and all that he would provide in establishing his kingdom. Abraham was able to see it and he was glad. As expected, the Jews respond by saying to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” (John 8:57 ESV). The implication is that Jesus is not old enough to have seen Abraham, who died many centuries before. Notice that Jesus never said that he saw Abraham, but that Abraham saw his day. That is quite different. To that Jesus responds with a most powerful claim which we will see brings the Jews to the point of attempted murder. “Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am”” (John 8:58 ESV). The Jews pointed out that Jesus was not old enough to see Abraham. Jesus then claimed that he was alive before Abraham, over 2000 years ago. Claiming to exist over 2000 years ago raises himself above man to the existence of God. In this, Jesus claims to be eternal and in fact is identifying himself as the I AM who spoke to Moses at the burning bush. The Jewish opponents understood this claim clearly and picked up stones, to stone him to death for blasphemy. “So, they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple” (John 8:59 ESV). According to Leviticus 24:16, stoning was the prescribed punishment for blasphemy. However, the Jews were wrong in attempting the execution themselves. This means of punishment was to be the result of righteous judgment, not mob violence. The Jews were not successful because it was not yet time for the death of Jesus, which was to occur on the cross. Jesus somehow eludes them as chapter 8 ends. Prayer Father, if anyone reads the scriptures with an open mind to learn what it has to say, I find it hard to understand how anyone cannot see Jesus for who he is, but I also know from our study of John that without your draw on a person, that person will be unable to understand. Father, thank you for giving me an understanding of who Jesus is and a desire to want to come to him for salvation. Author: Stephen Weller Source: https://www.anchormyfaith.com/blog/jn152

The Holiday season can bring a lot of things— joy, family, presents, nostalgic music and movies, and many other positive experiences. But it can also come with a lot of stress, anxiousness, sadness, and sometimes loneliness. God came into the world and was called the “Prince of Peace.” How can we transform our lives to reflect more of his peace, and what s standing in our way that needs to be removed for us to have real joy and real peace in our lives? God shows us there is a battle in our hearts over who we really worship when we are stuck in anxiousness, stress, and loneliness, and it’s no surprise that it isn’t Him! So come and be encouraged to seek God’s kingdom and you will reap the peace that God desires you to have. Pastor Troy Wallace

Many of us have gone through trials, been in situations that we would call tragic, and some have even experienced things that were traumatizing. When you are in the midst of your struggles, sometimes it hard to see or even understand how something that hurts so bad could bring something so beautiful and profound from it. Imagine for a moment, the trials and struggles Mary had to work through as Jesus grew in her womb. A young unwed women, promised to a man who did not yet know she was pregnant. Imagine the thoughts and struggles she may have brought to God as she traveled to see her cousin. Hoping that someone she knew would believe her. In Jewish custom sexual activity traditionally was viewed as a grave sin if it is outside of the bounds of marriage. This new chapter could have very well have cost her, her marriage before it even began. And yet, the bible tells us that when she met with Elizabeth, this is what she humbly said: 46 "And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, 47 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. 48 For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. 49 For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name. 50 And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation. 51 He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. 52 He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. 53 He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away. 54 He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy; 55 As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever. " Luke 1:55 KJV When you turn trials into triumph, it brings great things. And for us, Mary’s first trials meant bringing forth “Truth”, our Lord and Savior, our King, Jesus Christ. Let Christ pull us through our trials and let Him be your triumph. Elizabeth