The Great Controversy in the Desert “Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, being tempted for forty days by the devil” (Luke 4:1, 2, NKJV). Read Luke 4:1–13. What lessons can you learn from this account about how to overcome temptation and not give in to sin? Temptations can be so difficult because they appeal to things we really desire, and they always seem to come at our weakest moments. Luke 4 is the beginning of ...
Jul 12, 2022•11 min•Ep. 1443
Bitter Waters “The whole Israelite community set out from the Desert of Sin, traveling from place to place as the L ord commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink” (Exod. 17:1, NIV). Perhaps we might not get from God everything we want, but couldn’t we expect to get all that we need? Not what we think we need but what we truly need? There was one thing the Israelites certainly needed, and that was water. Just after God in the cloud led the Israelites throu...
Jul 12, 2022•10 min•Ep. 1442
To the Promised Land via a Dead End “And when Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians marched after them. So they were very afraid, and the children of Israel cried out to the L ord ” (Exod. 14:10, NKJV). Have you ever been set up, led into a trap or to a dead end? Sometimes it can be nice, like walking unexpectedly into a room of waiting friends who all shout “Surprise! Happy birthday!” At other times it can be quite a shock, even a very unpleasant...
Jul 10, 2022•14 min•Ep. 1441
Read for This Week’s Study: Exodus 14, Exod. 15:22–27, Exod. 17:1–7, Luke 4:1–13, 1 Pet. 1:6–9, Proverbs 3. Memory Text: “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials” (1 Peter 1:6, NKJV). In the full light of day, and in hearing of the music of other voices, the caged bird will not sing the song that his master seeks to teach him. He learns a snatch of this, a trill of that, but never a separate and entire melody. But the master...
Jul 09, 2022•6 min•Ep. 1440
Further Thought: Read Ellen G. White, “Effectual Prayer,” in Signs of the Times, November 18, 1903; Ellen G. White Comments, p. 1182, in The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 4; “God Permits Trial and Affliction to Purify Me,” p. 92, in My Life Today. “He who reads the hearts of men knows their characters better than they themselves know them. He sees that some have powers and sus- ceptibilities which, rightly directed, might be used in the advancement of His work. In His providence He brings these per...
Jul 08, 2022•12 min•Ep. 1439
Crucibles of Maturity “And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure” (2 Cor. 12:7, NKJV). There is a big difference between cutting down and pruning. We cut down plants that we don’t want anymore; we prune plants that we want to develop into greater fruitfulness. Both processes, however, do involve a sharp knife. Indeed, pruning requires cutting parts off th...
Jul 07, 2022•10 min•Ep. 1438
Crucibles of Purification “Therefore thus says the L ord of hosts: ‘Behold, I will refine them and try them; for how shall I deal with the daughter of My people?’ ” (Jer. 9:7, NKJV). “If the Spirit of God brings to your mind a word of the Lord that hurts you, you can be sure that there is something in you that He wants to hurt to the point of its death.”—Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest (Uhrichsville, OH: Barbour & Company, Inc., 1963), p. 271. How do you understand the quote and t...
Jul 06, 2022•10 min•Ep. 1437
Crucibles of Sin “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungod- liness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness” (Rom. 1:18, NKJV). Everything we do has a consequence. If you stand in the hot sun with ice cream, it will certainly melt. Cause and effect always go together. And no matter how desperately we may want things to be different, it is the same with sin. It always reaps consequences. It is not that God sits in heaven wondering what terrible t...
Jul 05, 2022•11 min•Ep. 1436
Crucibles of Satan “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Pet. 5:8, NKJV). Read the above text. What’s the message there for us? Ask yourself, “How seriously do I take these words?” What things do you do in your life that show whether you take them seriously? Have you ever watched a hungry lion? It’s awesome because you know it can catch and eat just about anything it wants. Peter says that Satan is prowling around...
Jul 04, 2022•8 min•Ep. 1435
Surprises “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you” (1 Pet. 4:12, NKJV). Surprises, painful surprises, can come in many ways. A car veering across the road into your path. A sudden notification that you’re losing your job. A medical test that gives you unexpected bad news. Betrayal by someone you loved and who you thought loved you. As bad as the pain can be, it’s always made worse by the element of surprise. T...
Jul 03, 2022•15 min•Ep. 1434
Read for This Week’s Study: 1 Pet. 4:12–19, 1 Pet. 5:8–11, Rom. 1:21–32, Jer. 9:7–16, 2 Cor. 12:7–10. Memory Text: “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy” (1 Peter 4:12, 13, NKJV). In chemistry labs one often places various materials into a small container and heats them...
Jul 02, 2022•7 min•Ep. 1433
Further Thought: Read Ellen G. White, “Missionaries in the Home,” p. 143, in Testimonies for the Church, vol. 4; “The Divine Shepherd,” pp. 476–484, in The Desire of Ages. “Those who are finally victorious will have seasons of terrible perplexity and trial in their religious life; but they must not cast away their confidence, for this is a part of their discipline in the school of Christ, and it is essential in order that all dross may be purged away. The servant of God must endure with fortitud...
Jul 01, 2022•8 min•Ep. 1432
A Certain Promise for the Journey “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the L ord forever” (Ps. 23:6, NKJV). When we are in the valley or surrounded by enemies, it is sometimes tempting to believe that we have been left alone. It does not always feel as though God has been doing much; we reason that if He had been helping, we wouldn’t be in this situation to begin with. But David obvi- ously does not see it like this. In spite of his...
Jun 30, 2022•11 min•Ep. 1431
Unexpected Detour 2: The Surrounded Table “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over” (Ps. 23:5, NKJV). Throughout our lives, we will inevitably bump into some enemies. How do you deal with them? Have you ever lain awake at night, tossing and turning, dreaming up ways to take revenge on those who are trying to hurt you or destroy your work? It can be hard for Christians to know how to handle enemies. What types of enemies have you ...
Jun 29, 2022•9 min•Ep. 1430
Unexpected Detour 1: The Valley “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me” (Ps. 23:4, NKJV). It would be nice if the paths of righteousness wound their way only along the grass-covered banks of cool streams. But that is not the way David paints it. Also, along these paths is the valley of the shadow of death—not a place that we are eager to visit! At certain times of the year, the wadis and ra...
Jun 28, 2022•6 min•Ep. 1429
Locations on the Journey “He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake” (Ps. 23:3, NRSV). Imagine the “paths of righteousness” (Ps. 23:3) stretching out before you, way out into the distance. You cannot see the end, but you know that at the end of the journey is home, God’s house. As you focus a little closer to you, do you see where the path leads? You can see some places clearly, but other parts are totally obstructed by large or dangerous obstacles. Sometimes the path disappears over a ridg...
Jun 27, 2022•10 min•Ep. 1428
A Guide for the Journey: The Shepherd “The L ord is my shepherd; I shall not want” (Ps. 23:1, NKJV). Some children were asked to draw a picture of God. Without excep- tion, each one drew a picture with a heart somewhere in it. When asked why, they declared unanimously that God is love. It was as simple as that. It is easy to have a good opinion of God and His purposes when everything is going well. But as we grow older and life becomes harder and more complicated, our view of God often changes. ...
Jun 26, 2022•12 min•Ep. 1427
Read for This Week’s Study: Psalm 23, Rom. 12:18–21. Memory Text: “He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake” (Psalm 23:3, NKJV). Sophie leaned back against her bedroom door and slid to the floor. Tears were welling up fast, and it was only a moment before she was sobbing. “How could he? How could he!” Sophie had just received news that was breaking her heart. Someone she thought was a friend, someone she respected and trusted, was spreading awful gossip ...
Jun 25, 2022•7 min•Ep. 1426
“All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made” (John 1:3). All things” were made by Him, Jesus, and yet—according to Scripture— “Jesus wept” (John 11:35). The Creator wept? Even more so, Jesus was “despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief ” (Isa. 53:3). The Creator, a man of sorrows, despised and rejected? And He once cried out, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matt. 27:46). How could these things be? It’s because...
Jun 24, 2022•9 min•Ep. 1425
Further Thought: Ellen G. White, “Joseph and His Brothers,” pp. 233–240, in Patriarchs and Prophets. “The life of Joseph illustrates the life of Christ. It was envy that moved the brothers of Joseph to sell him as a slave; they hoped to prevent him from becoming greater than themselves. And when he was carried to Egypt, they flattered themselves that they were to be no more troubled with his dreams, that they had removed all possibility of their fulfillment. But their own course was overruled by...
Jun 24, 2022•10 min•Ep. 1424
The Hope of the Promised Land Read Genesis 49:29–50:21. What great themes of hope are found in the conclusion of the book of Genesis? The conclusion of Genesis is made up of three events that are filled with hope. First, there is the hope that Israel will return to the Promised Land. Moses, the author of Genesis, describes Jacob’s and Joseph’s deaths and burials as events pointing to the Promised Land. Immediately after his blessing and prophecy on the “twelve tribes of Israel” (Gen. 49:28), Jac...
Jun 23, 2022•15 min•Ep. 1423
Jacob Blesses His Sons Read Genesis 49:1–28. What is the spiritual significance of Jacob’s blessing on his sons? Beyond the prophecies concerning the immediate history of the tribes of Israel, Jacob sees the Messiah and the ultimate hope of salva- tion. This hope already is indicated in Jacob’s opening words that use the expression “in the last days” (Gen. 49:1), a technical expression that refers to the coming of the Messianic King (Isa. 2:2, Dan. 10:14). The text then goes through the future l...
Jun 22, 2022•14 min•Ep. 1422
Jacob Blesses Joseph’s Sons As Jacob approaches death, he remembers his earlier return to Bethel (Gen. 35:1–15), when he received from God the renewed promise of the “everlasting possession” (Gen. 48:4) that was given to Abraham (Gen. 17:8). The hope of the Promised Land is, therefore, a comforting thought that nurtures his hope as he feels death coming. Jacob turns, then, to Joseph’s two sons, who were born in Egypt, and blesses them, but does so in the context of the future promise regarding h...
Jun 21, 2022•13 min•Ep. 1421
Jacob Settles in Egypt It’s very interesting how, despite all that Jacob had been told about Joseph’s being alive in Egypt, the Lord still gave him “visions of the night” (Gen. 46:2) and in them commanded him to leave. Jacob leaves the Land of Promise for, of all places, Egypt—which later becomes associated with the one place that God’s people do not want to go (Deut. 17:16). Read Genesis 47. What spiritual truths and principles can we find in this account? “Joseph took five of his brothers to p...
Jun 20, 2022•11 min•Ep. 1420
Jacob Goes to Joseph Read Genesis 46. What is the significance of Jacob’s departure from Canaan? When Jacob leaves his place in Canaan, he is full of hope. The assur- ance that he will no longer be hungry and the good news that Joseph is alive must have given him the momentum that he needed to leave the Promised Land. Jacob’s departure echoes the experience of Abraham, though in Abraham’s case he was heading to the Promised Land. Jacob hears the same promise Abraham heard from God, namely that H...
Jun 19, 2022•10 min•Ep. 1419
Read for This Week’s Study: Genesis 46; Rom. 10:12, 13; Genesis 47; Genesis 48; Acts 3:25, 26; Genesis 49; Phil. 2:10; Gen. 49:29–50:21. Memory Text: “So Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the country of Goshen; and they had possessions there and grew and multiplied exceedingly” (Genesis 47:27, NKJV). Genesis covers the last years of Jacob and Joseph together. We see Jacob (Israel) leave Canaan (Genesis 46) in order to settle in Egypt (Genesis 47), and there he will die (Gen. 49:29–50:21). An...
Jun 18, 2022•7 min•Ep. 1418
Further Thought: Ellen G. White, “Joseph in Egypt,” pp. 213–223; “Joseph and His Brothers,” pp. 224–232, in Patriarchs and Prophets. “The three days of confinement were days of bitter sorrow with Jacob’s sons. They reflected upon their past wrong course, especially their cruelty to Joseph. They knew if they were convicted of being spies, and they could not bring evidence to clear themselves, they would all have to die, or become slaves. They doubted whether any effort any one of them might make ...
Jun 17, 2022•6 min•Ep. 1417
“ ‘I Am Joseph Your Brother’ ” Read Genesis 45. What lessons of love, faith, and hope can be found in this story? It was at that very moment, when Judah talked about the “ ‘evil’ ” that would fall upon ’avi, “ ‘my father’ ” (Gen. 44:34), that Joseph “cried out” (Gen. 45:1, NKJV) and then “made himself known” to his brothers. This expression, often used to refer to God’s self-revelation (Exod. 6:3, Ezek. 20:9), suggests that it is God who had revealed Himself here, as well. That is, the Lord had ...
Jun 16, 2022•10 min•Ep. 1416
The Divination Cup Read Genesis 44. Why did Joseph put the divination cup in Benjamin’s sack and not in another brother’s sack? This story parallels the preceding one. As before, Joseph gives spe- cific instructions; and, once again, he fills the men’s sacks with food. This time, however, Joseph adds the strange command to put his pre- cious cup in Benjamin’s sack. The events take, therefore, a different course. While in the preceding trip, the brothers returned to Canaan to take Benjamin with t...
Jun 15, 2022•12 min•Ep. 1415
Joseph and Benjamin Jacob could not easily allow the departure of Benjamin, his only son with Rachel who remained with him. He was afraid that he would lose him, as he already had lost Joseph (Gen. 43:6–8). It was only when there was no more food (Gen. 43:2) and when Judah pledged to guar- antee the return of Benjamin (Gen. 43:9) that Jacob finally consented to a second visit to Egypt and allowed Benjamin to go with his brothers. Read Genesis 43. What effect did Benjamin’s presence have on the c...
Jun 14, 2022•13 min•Ep. 1414
