General

Disciples Prayer

Here are some notes I took from Pastor Pete Geli’s sermon given on 16 March 2013 at Santa Barbara Seventh-day Adventist Christian Church.


Ask-Believe-Claim

The reason we should pray often is that Satan is at war against the church. We are a target of the enemy. We don’t stand a chance by ourselves. Prayer is the opening of our heart to God. Jesus alone can save us.

Revelation 12:17

The dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
In the Bible, the dragon is Satan and the Woman is the Church and Christ’s followers.


Jesus Wants to Restore Us to Holiness. There is a special prayer in Matthew 6 and in Luke 11:1-4:

Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.”

2 So He said to them, “When you pray, say:

Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
3 Give us day by day our daily bread.
4 And forgive us our sins,
For we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us.
And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.

Disciples Prayer begins and ends with God. There are seven principles found in the Disciples Prayer.

1. Inclusiveness
2. Focused
3. Reverent
4. Hopeful
5. Obedient
6. Trustful
7. Be Grateful

By keeping Jesus Holy and Worship Him, alternative worship will not come to the church. Following God’s will means we have no time to be carnal in our Christian walk. Walk the walk as Jesus did. It all comes down to a matter of love. Jesus rested, blessed and sanctified the Sabbath day.

Trust that Jesus is able to provide for us as we ask for forgiveness of our debts. Keep the Faith!

A Transformed Life

I debated as to whether to put this on my blog and then remembered what Jesus said in Matthew 28 and so here it is. I changed the name of the woman that is the main character in the narrative to protect privacy!
God has his faithful people in all the different religions so if your faith is mentioned here, I don’t want you to be offended. I am sure there will be many in the New Creation from all kinds of different faith backgrounds and even people in remote places of the world that never heard the name of Jesus. God alone is the Judge and I am thankful to know that!
As she enjoyed her dinner one evening at a nice restaurant, Jane noticed a group of people come in and sit at a large table. She eavesdropped a bit and overheard them talking about the sermon they had heard at church. Before long, the group was joined by a lady and gentleman. Jane quickly figured out the gentleman was a popular preacher she had heard about before.
As the couple were talking with the other people at the table, Jane noticed the pastor and his wife wore jewels and gold that had most likely been bought out of tithes from their church.
“That’s just not right!” she thought, and added this to the growing list of reasons in her heart that she did not fit into any known church. She always accepted invitations to attend services with her Catholic mother, Jehovah’s Witnesses sister, or Jewish convert brother. Many times she even visited her grandmother’s Pentecostal church. 
She always wondered what was wrong with her, though, and why she was scared during their whooping and shouting. She was driven over the years to solitary Bible reading, even having communion alone while listening to old Gospel records. As she read her Bible, she asked questions like, “Why don’t Christians keep the Jesus’ Sabbath day?
God leads through amazing circumstances, and began introducing Jane to people. A classmate in her water aerobics class invited her to attend the local Adventist Church. Soon after, a flier arrived in the mail (that she still treasures today) announcing a Bible prophecy seminar. Jane decided to go.
Jane journeyed to Highline Seventh-day Adventist Christian Church in Burien the first evening of the series. So many questions were answered and she felt so comfortable at church that she hasn’t missed a single fascinating meeting, or Sabbath, since!
In the transformational months following, she sold $5,000 worth of jewelry, tearfully prayed out loud for the first time, reconciled with a long estranged sister, plans her travel around Jesus’ Sabbath, celebrated her baptism, and loves returning tithe (knowing the pastors won’t buy gold with it).
Most of all, she says, “I have peace in my heart, and know that I won’t have communion alone anymore.”
• • •
Jane’s story is just one example of how God is changing lives in western Washington. Seattle Metro is the evangelism focus of the entire Pacific Northwest for 2013. We are working together with our sister conferences and the North Pacific Union Conference to specifically Reach Seattle Metro with the love of Jesus and to share hope for a better future.
The offering for WA: Special Project, in addition to the camp meeting evangelism offering, will help fund coordinated Bible prophecy meetings beginning Friday, October 4, throughout western Washington.
We invite you to pray about how God wants you to support Reach Seattle Metro through your prayers, involvement and financial support. Let’s partner with the Holy Spirit to Reach Seattle Metro and help change people’s lives for eternity.

Breastfeeding

This is from my Daily Devotional book that I read each morning. Credits are below the post.

1 Peter 2:2-3

Like newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

The birth of a baby has to be one of the greatest miracles of life. On average, about four babies enter our world every second. During that same second approximately two people die, so that the world population is increasing at the rate of about two people per second. It is a statistic that I have a hard time with, because I know how much pain and sadness there is in our sin-sick world. My prayer is Lord, take care of all those precious lives. A human life is a unit with the greatest known value.

As each healthy baby comes into the world kicking and screaming, it is generally hungry and is ready to eat. When mother cradles baby in her arms, the food is right there at the infant’s mouth, and baby is programmed to root around and latch on and start sucking, drinking in that life-giving milk-another profound miracle story of production. When you study the system from a designer’s perspective, it looks “very good.”

So what is in mother’s milk? Is it good nutrition for the newborn? Does it meet specifications for growth and development? Much research done during the past two decades clearly shows that it is the perfect baby food. It appears to be designed by a loving Creator who knows what He is doing. Consider these observations.

For the first few days mother’s milk ( called colostrum ) is rich in proteins and low in sugar and fats. A perfect nutritional blend, it boosts the baby’s immune system and kick-starts the function of the infant’s fairly inactive and inexperienced digestive tract. For the next few days the milk changes to a sweet watery liquid called transitional milk. The baby gets fully hydrated, and the sweetness appeals to the baby’s awakening senses. Roughly two weeks into life, mother’s milk composition shifts again to the so-called mature milk with watery foremilk and thicker, creamier hindmilk. The fat and sugar content continue to rise, and the immunoglobulin levels fall. After about six months babies begin supplementing their diets with a little solid food as they continue their growth and development. What an analogy. God calls us out of darkness into marvelous light. Born again, we grow unto salvation by feeding on the pure milk of the gospel. It too is just what we need for spiritual development.

Lord, may I hunger and thirst after righteousness. Feed me till I want no more!

13 March 2013

God of Wonders: A Daily Devotional by David A. Steen, PH. D.
Professor of Biology and Chair of the Biology Department at Andrews University

The Ultimate Love

This is a short summary of the key points made by Pastor Robert Taylor during his sermon on 16 February 2013 at Santa Barbara Seventh-day Adventist Christian Church.

Would you like to know how much Jesus loves you?

Read Isaiah 53. Christ suffered for us. He was oppressed and afflicted for us. He was beaten and bled for us. Christ NEVER opened His mouth to complain.

If someone beat you, your human nature would retaliate or you would try to run away. This is a great example of Fight or Flight. We would quickly determine whether to stay and fight back or run away.

Jesus never once complained or fought back. Instead He continued healing the sick, cast out devils, and healed the blind. Jesus accepted the abuse He received. Why did Jesus just stand there and take the abuse? The answer is it comes down to the issue of Love.

God loves us so much. The most known Bible scripture of course is John 3:16. Keep reading in verse 17 and you will understand the Outrageous Love He has for us.

John 3:16-17
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

Jesus stepped out of heaven to come and seek YOU. You are not just another face in the crowd.

Romans 8:38-39
38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 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.

It was never about religion. It is all about relationship with Him. Even the Devil knows the Bible. Receive God’s Grace. Do not waste time trying to earn grace. The price has already been paid at Calvary when Christ was crucified.

Jesus stands at the door of our hearts and knocks.

Three ways to receive Jesus and His Love:
1. You are lovable-Just fall into Jesus arms.
2. Relationship-Spend time studying your Bible and in Prayer.
3. Receive His Love and Grace.

A Bitterness

I believe you did not have a happy life.
I believe you were cheated.
I believe your best friends were loneliness and misery.
I believe your busiest enemies were anger and depression.
I believe joy was a game you could never play without stumbling.
I believe comfort, though you craved it, was forever a stranger.
I believe music had to be melancholy or not at all.
I believe no trinket, no precious metal, shone so bright as your brightness.
I believe you lay down at last in your coffin none the wiser and unassuaged.
Oh, cold and dreamless under the wind, amoral, reckless peaceful flowers of the hillside.

Poem by Mary Oliver
Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry

My Name Is America by Todd Herendeen

Memorial Day 2012

There is an excellent program honoring our fallen military members on PBS this coming Sunday evening at 8pm. God bless the men and women who have given all for our nation. May they rest in peace until the Lord Jesus returns! Pay your respects and remember what this holiday stands for and be safe! In the mean time, here is a patriotic video for you to enjoy:


Johann Strauss Leading Vienna Orchestra

When I was young and serving in the US Air Force over in West Germany, my father was engaged in construction projects overseas. He had me meet him in Vienna, Austria one Christmas. We went to see the Nutcracker and the Vienna Orchestra. I have enjoyed classical music ever since.

I received this video in a birthday greeting this morning from a business contact that lives in Switzerland. Enjoy Johann Strauss leading the orchestra!

My Best Friend

Many years ago I was thirsty for the peace that my grandparents and father had in their lives. I asked God to make the peace that my relatives had available to me. My life was a disaster and I knew there was a better way. Over time, I found the best friend anyone can ever have…Jesus…I am on my way to Sabbath School now to learn how to be more like my best friend !

Here are a few websites that may be of use to anyone you know that also needs spiritual health:

Hope Channel

3 Angels Broadcasting

Sabbath Truth

Santa Barbara Welcomes Pastor Taylor

New Pastor Begins Serving

Today was a special day at the Santa Barbara Seventh-day Adventist Church. Pastor Robert Taylor and his wife began serving as the pastoral team.

They are returning to Santa Barbara after recently serving the Tillamook, Oregon church. The Taylors have served the Santa Barbara church in the past.

Every time I visit the Santa Barbara church I receive a blessing from God. The orchestra plays beautiful music. The praise song service led by Michelle touched my soul today. Here are a few of the hymns we sang:

Great Is Thy Faithfulness

How Great Thou Art

Holy Holy Holy

The sermon given by Pastor Taylor was centered around Ecclesiastes 3:1-8:

Everything Has Its Time

3 To everything there is a season,
A time for every purpose under heaven:

2 A time to be born,
    And a time to die;
A time to plant,

    And a time to pluck what is planted;
3 A time to kill,

    And a time to heal;
A time to break down,

    And a time to build up;
4 A time to weep,

    And a time to laugh;
A time to mourn,

    And a time to dance;
5 A time to cast away stones,

    And a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace,

    And a time to refrain from embracing;
6 A time to gain,

    And a time to lose;
A time to keep,

    And a time to throw away;
7 A time to tear,

    And a time to sew;
A time to keep silence,

    And a time to speak;
8 A time to love,

    And a time to hate;
A time of war,

    And a time of peace.


Pastor Taylor sang the Lord’s Prayer after finishing his sermon. The church then closed with the hymn about Standing on the Solid Rock of Jesus. We shared a fellowship meal and many people then attended a Memorial service for First Elder Vance Johnson. Thank you for a blessed Sabbath day Jesus!

You can listen to the recorded sermon from 21 April 2012 on Santa Barbara’s website here:

Time

Humility

Here is a good reflection from an elder’s message at church this past Sabbath. The message he gave comes from 2 Chronicles 7:14.

If
My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray
and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from
heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

Gary gave four points to ponder:

1. Humble Ourselves
2. Prayer
3. Seek God & His Grace
4. Turn from Evil

We are either controlled by Satan or by God. My choice is to get on my knees, pray, seek God’s grace and watch what I allow into my mind each day. All humans know what is evil and not of God.

Justification and the Bible

I recently attended a revival service at Ojai Valley Seventh-day Adventist Christian church. Dennis Priebe is a revivalist and he gave a presentation on Justification. You can read his website that gives a much deeper explanation by going to his website below:

Justification

Here is an excellent table showing the three Christian standards about Justification. The last row is how Dennis gave us an example of a scuba diver and his need for oxygen to sustain life. Just replace oxygen in the example for Justification:

Evangelical
 Biblical
 Catholic

Christ for Us
 Christ for Us & Christ In Us
 Infused Righteousness
Christ Alone
 Christ & the Holy Spirit
 Through Sacraments
Accounting Us Righteous
 Making Us Righteous
 Merit Eternal Life
Justification >> New Birth
 New Birth >> Justification
 Indulgences
No Oxygen Tank Needed
Just Dive in the Water
 Air Tank Needed &
Keep the Line Connected
 Fill Tanks with Oxygen &
Dive All You Want

Fairest Lord Jesus

This was our closing song at Ventura Seventh-day Adventist Christian Church today, 18 February 2012. Our pastor Jim Ayars preached about Luke 4: 31-37. This Christian hymn always moves me to tears. We had Kay Cushman playing the organ. The video is by Amy Grant and she is playing a guitar. Praise You Lord Jesus!

Divine Mystery

I was blessed this morning at church. Our Sabbath School Superintendent is a very talented artist, musician, and writer. She reported about a goal she began at the beginning of 2012. Each morning, she reads from the Book of Psalms. She reflects on Psalms before beginning the day. Here is a powerful concept that she shared with us today:

When we are being creative with art, we are using our God given talents to honor God. Every human being is blessed with talents. When we use these talents, we are in a divine way in prayer to God. We are acknowledging the gifts we have been given. Here are some of the most commonly used forms of art humans engage in:

1. Cooking
2. Drawing
3. Keep a Diary or Journal
4. Music
5. Painting
6. Poetry
7. Pottery
8. Reading
9. Sculpting
10. Walking
11. Writing

So the next time I start feeling stressed out about the time it takes me in the kitchen each day to make healthy meals, I will try to remember that I am actually in prayer to my creator God. Writing blog posts has become a very useful skill. I enjoy several types of music. I go for daily walks. I do need to get out my paint set and create a painting. I should also do some drawings on the sketch pad I used back in college art class. I do keep a journal to record what my emotional life is like each day.

So I have plenty to do to keep my creative powers in use. Does anyone want to buy a television set? I only have basic cable and do enjoy PBS here in Southern California. I read that most programs on television actually work similar to hypnosis in turning off the critical thinking side of our brain. You can read more on the Natural News Blog

Alaska Airlines Prayer Cards

For many years, Alaska Airlines has placed a small prayer card of one of the Psalms on the meal trays on its flights. Six years ago, Alaska discontinued meal service in coach class but continued to serve meals in first class. One customer complained and the airline has had several comments over the past few years. You can read the short story on MSN’s site below:

Overhead Bin

I felt compelled to write a comment as I was an employee of Alaska Airlines for many years and saved many of the prayer cards when I flew on Alaska. Here is my comment on the article:

I have many of the prayer cards from my years of flying on Alaska Airlines when the cards were dispersed in coach class on meal trays. I appreciate the fact that some people are not Christian. America is predominantly a Christian nation and our founding fathers wisely separated government from religion. Those of you that are not Christian should tolerate those of us that believe just as we tolerate your right to your beliefs.
 
There have been many great leaders of other religions outside of Christianity. Please note the following:
 
Buddha (“the awakened”) was the title given to Siddhartha Gautama, the son of a Nepalese rajah. Buddha’s grave is occupied.
 
Confucius was a teacher, scholar and minor political official whose commentary on Chinese literary classics developed into a pragmatic philosophy for daily life. His grave is occupied.
 
Muhammad was the founder of the religion of Islam. Muhammad’s grave is occupied.
 
Jesus Christ is the center of the Christian religion. His tomb is empty because Jesus was the Son of God and our human minds are not able to comprehend the awesome power of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God created the world in six literal days. There is evidence of micro evolution but there is no way a monkey evolved into another animal like a horse which is the logic behind evolution.
 
Many people are familiar with the verse in John 3:16. Read John 3:17 to understand the big picture:
 
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that
whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
 
I chose to believe in Jesus, that He died for me, would have come to die just for me or you, and His grace saves me from my sin. Praise You Lord Jesus!

If you are in need of spiritual help, please visit this website for some excellent resources:

Amazing Facts

Happy New Year 2012

Just a short note tonight to all my blog readers from around the world. I appreciate your being a loyal reader and subscriber. I have added a goal of more interaction with my blogs in 2012. I am going to continue my focus on healthy living and health.

Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help you or someone you know. I am not a medical provider. I am just sharing knowledge that I have acquired from my own efforts at living a healthy life. I wish you a safe, prosperous, and Happy New Year!

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