THINK ABOUT IT

Many false preachers are going around preaching a gospel of lawlessness. They claim that the death of Christ abolished the Law of God—the Ten Commandments. They argue that because we are saved by grace, we no longer need to keep the Law. This false gospel has resulted in great weakness within Christianity, chaos in the lives of believers, and disorder in the world. This begs the question: Can life exist without laws? Law is Integral to Life Law defines how something is intended to operate; you cannot do anything in life without it. To see how vital laws are to every function, we can look at even the most extreme examples: criminal organizations. Even they have laws, and a member's violation of those rules carries severe consequences. For example, in the United States, two infamous gangs—the Crips and the Bloods—use colors to signify their laws. The Crips wear blue and the Bloods wear red; wearing the wrong color in the wrong neighborhood can result in life-threatening trouble. Laws...

When you ask someone, "What do you want to be in life?" many will answer, "I want to be successful," "I want to make money," or "I want to be a doctor, a nurse, an athlete, or a politician." Rarely do we find someone who says, "I want to live for Christ and be whatever He calls me to be." We seldom hear people say that because, from our youth up, we have been taught to live for ourselves rather than for the glory of God. For the majority of people, the glory of God is the last thing on their minds—if it is there at all. Living for oneself will inevitably result in frustration and misery, but living for the glory of God brings true fulfillment and increasing joy. You are too "small" to bring lasting satisfaction to yourself. We are often too ignorant to know what will truly fulfill us; since we didn't create ourselves, we have no inherent idea of what will truly satisfy our souls. This is why the things we thought would sa...

 The Christmas season is here again, and a joyous mood is in the air. Everywhere you go, decorations are set up, lights are twinkling, and Christmas music is playing on the radio. Store owners are celebrating because, during this time, they receive a "gift" from customers spending money on all sorts of material things for their loved ones. In the workplace, there are gift exchanges, parties, and dinners. At night, you find people going to clubs, getting drunk, and acting recklessly—all while supposedly celebrating the birthday of Christ the Savior. Christmas seems to be the one celebration involving "Christ" that both the secular world and churchgoers enjoy. On Christmas Day, the world and the church gather together. Christians and worldly people alike dress up and share pictures on social media. In Christmas, we find a union between pagans and Christians—a mixture of truth and error, light and darkness. But God asks in 2 Corinthians 6:14 , "What fellowship doe...

I would like to address those of you who have come to a knowledge of the truth. You are young in the faith, and there is a great need for you to walk humbly with God. You must learn daily in the "School of Christ" by dwelling particularly—through meditation and conversation—upon the lessons He gave to His disciples. Walk with all humility of mind, distrustful of self and seeking wisdom from the God of wisdom. Ensure that all your ways and methods are in firm and close connection with the will of God so that there may be no confusion. We must never forget how difficult it is to remove long-cherished errors from the minds of men, especially those taught from childhood. Bear in mind that earth is not heaven; there will be discouragements to meet and overcome. However, forbearance, tenderness, and pity should be exercised toward all who are in darkness. If we are to bring them to the light, it will not be solely through arguments. It must be through the work of the grace of Chris...

 In a world of uncertainty, we are all in need of something certain—something we can grab hold of. This world is chaotic, and things can change in a heartbeat. In the midst of such turmoil, we all search for security; we look for someone or something that will provide peace and certainty. For many, that "someone" was a parent. As a child, a parent's arms were our safe place. When we cried, a loving parent rushed to hold us, soothe us, and let us know: "I am here; do not be afraid. You are safe." In childhood, we held onto our parents, and they provided a sanctuary and cared for our every need. For many of us, the last time we truly experienced a "safe place" was in childhood. As we started school, we began to realize we were no longer the center of everyone’s world. Other children made fun of us; parents had less time for us and eventually began to ignore our tears. Consequently, many of us began to drift into darkness, loneliness, rejection, and anxi...

 Sex connects you at a spiritual level with another person. When performed within marriage, it connects you with your spouse and glorifies God. However, when done outside of marriage, it not only ties you to that person but also invites the influence of spirits that encourage immoral acts. Sexual sin is one of the fastest ways to connect oneself with the enemy. After all, sex is an act of worship, and sexual sin brings darkness into your most intimate union. Sexual sin establishes a deep spiritual bond with the first person you sleep with. This is why breaking up with that first person can have such a devastating impact on you emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. You may feel as if you are being torn apart—as if you are losing a part of yourself. The truth is, you are losing a part of yourself. There are laws established by God that are as inescapable as gravity. God declared that "the two shall become one flesh." The sexual act brings two people into a union; therefore, ...

 Children never ask their parents to be created. You have never heard a child say, "Parents, please make me." It would be a nonsensical statement. Because it is the parents who decide to bring children into the world, it is their fundamental responsibility to take care of the fruit of the womb. A parent who brings a child into this world and refuses to care for them is a wicked parent. In our society, many people are "giving birth like rabbits," living for themselves while neglecting their children. They leave the burden to grandparents or the government. These are irresponsible and selfish parents. It is better not to have children at all than to bring them into the world and refuse to help them. However, there comes a time when a child thinks they are "grown" and no longer need a parent’s help. Some want nothing to do with their family; they want total independence to do as they please. In such cases, there is nothing a parent can do but let the child go...

 God is faithful and true. In a world of falsehood and unfaithfulness, you can always put your trust in the Lord. People often say one thing and do another, but you can always rely on God to do exactly what He says. God cannot lie, and His Word is certain. Even if you do not see its fulfillment yet, wait for it; in due time, it will come to pass. God is true in His judgment. He declared to Adam and Eve, "On the day that you eat of the forbidden tree, you will surely die." Though the Devil promised Eve she would not die, what happened after they ate? Death entered the world. Through one man’s sin, death passed to all humanity. Every time you attend a funeral or pass a cemetery, remember God’s Word: "In the day you eat of it, you shall surely die." God’s Word remains true concerning your sins today. The Lord says in the book of Ezekiel, "The soul that sins shall die." When you commit any sin, a form of death comes to your soul. Tell a "small" lie, ...

God is a lover of beauty. He creates various beings to display different aspects of His love and different types of beauty. He made the fish for the water, the birds for the air, human beings for the earth, and angels for heaven. Each part of creation is guided by a specific set of rules, all of which tie back to the great Law of Love. A fish is beautiful in its habitat in the ocean; a bird is beautiful to behold while flying through the sky. An eagle cannot survive long underwater because it wasn’t made for the sea, and a fish cannot survive long on dry land because it wasn't made for the shore. Imagine that one day, a whale decides, "I have been living in this ocean for too long. The world is a big place; why does God restrict my freedom to the water? I believe I can have a more fulfilling life on land. I can reach my full potential by going wherever I please. This ocean is a restriction to my liberty." After much deliberation, the whale leaves the ocean and begins maki...

If I were to ask you, "What is the goal of life?" what would your response be? Some might say it is to reach your full potential; others would say it is to travel the world, or simply to eat, drink, and be merry. Religious folks might say the goal is to serve God. Some seek a spouse who will make them happy, while others do everything they can just to escape pain and suffering. For everyone, the goal of life is different. What is yours? I once read about a football player who said one of the worst moments of his life was the day after he finally achieved his life’s goal and won the Super Bowl. He felt an overwhelming sense of emptiness and despair. Many of us experience this. We have a goal that we think will make us happy, but when we finally reach it, we realize its promises were deceitful. Unless we immediately set a new goal, we sink into despondency. This is why people say, "It’s about the journey, not the destination"—because the destination usually disappoin...

 "I need a spouse as soon as possible; a spouse will complete my life and make me whole. I need money—lots of it. My life is miserable because I have no money; I must do whatever it takes to get it to provide safety and security for myself. The more money I have, the more leisure time I will enjoy. Speaking of leisure, I need to start planning my vacations for the next two years. Life is short; I need to have a grand time because I only have one life to live. And what am I going to do for fun this weekend?" These thoughts represent the modern mindset, but Scripture gives us a warning: "As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark. And they were oblivious, until the flood came and swept them all away. So it will be at the coming of the Son of Man." ( Matthew 24:37-39 ) Friends, we are here. As the end ...

"There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death." — Proverbs 14:12 Many people cannot discern the hidden dangers or the fearful ending of the path that seems to them the way of happiness. The direction you are taking in life today may feel like it leads to joy, but if it is a way contrary to God, disaster will be the result. A strange thing about human beings is that we are often ignorant, yet we think we know everything. It is amazing that the less we know, the more stubborn we become. Young children can be incredibly headstrong. Teenagers, who have barely experienced life, are often rebellious. Even adults living disastrous lives will resist any attempt to be told that their own choices brought that disaster upon them. No wonder the Bible says, "For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry" ( 1 Samuel 15:23 ). We all desire what is good, but not every lifestyle leads to a good end. A person may...

 War has broken out once again between the Israelis and the Palestinians—the latest flare-up of violence in a long-running struggle. This recent conflict exploded when Hamas militants from the Gaza Strip launched a devastating raid on Israeli border towns, resulting in a tragic loss of life. In response, the Israeli government retaliated with airstrikes, leading to further heavy casualties among Palestinians. Hamas named their mission "Operation Al-Aqsa Flood," referring to the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, the third-holiest site in Islam. The mosque is built upon the Temple Mount, the very location where the biblical Temple stood before it was destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD. While Muslims believe the Prophet Muhammad ascended to heaven from this location, Jews hold the site sacred as the foundation of their ancient Temple. Both Palestinians and Israelis claim Jerusalem as their capital city. This competing claim to the same holy ground is at the heart of the conflict. The I...

Following politics in the United States over the last few years has been very educational. If one studies the "War in Heaven"—the great controversy between Christ and Satan—many similarities become apparent. The U.S. political system is adversarial by nature, pitting one party against another: Democrats versus Republicans. While the idea is that different perspectives create a working democracy, a system that constantly pits citizens against each other for the sake of "unity" may work for a while, but it eventually leads to deep division. It has been said that democracy has a lifespan of about 200 years before it devolves into anarchy, followed by tyranny. Democracy is not inherently sustainable in the long term; it can only function if the people are moral and righteous. When a population becomes unrighteous, democracy can become oppressive—a "tyranny of the majority." Looking at the last few U.S. presidencies, one can see a transition: the nation is slow...

 Freedom! Who doesn’t want to be free? America is called the "land of the free and the home of the brave." The cry of this land has long been, "Give me liberty, or give me death!" According to the dictionary, freedom is the absence of necessity, coercion, or constraint in choice or action. To be free is to be independent. We all want to be independent from the power of others, but the problem is that such absolute independence simply does not exist in reality. The truth is there is only one absolutely independent being in the universe: God . He is the self-existent One who sustains Himself. All other beings are dependent upon Him and subject to His laws. Therefore, the idea of being completely independent and doing your own will without restraint is a fallacy. While God allows us the freedom to make choices contrary to His will, we are never free from the consequences. As the scripture says, "The wages of sin is death." God has a law, and He expects all i...

 God is consistent in His dealings with us! He can be trusted and relied upon. In this life, we face endless inconsistencies—our jobs change, our neighbors move, and our friendships fluctuate. We never know what tomorrow will bring, but the Lord is the same day in and day out. Consistency builds trust, and you can always trust in God because He never changes. God is consistent in how He handles rebellion. We see this through three major historical examples: Lucifer: God anointed Lucifer as the covering cherub, the highest created being in the universe. He blessed him with countless gifts and honored him above all creation. Yet, Lucifer became proud. He refused to serve and wanted to be God Himself. Because of his rebellion, the Lord cast him out of heaven. King Saul: God anointed Saul as the first king of Israel, providing the Holy Spirit as his counselor and the prophet Samuel as his guide. Saul began well, but pride led him to act independently of God. He rejected the Word of G...

 Jesus said in John 17:3 , "This is eternal life: that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent." Many people desire to go to heaven or to possess eternal life, but they often ignore one crucial truth: eternal life is a life of relationships—a life of love with God. Without love, eternity would be an "eternal hell." In fact, many of us experience a shadow of that hell on this planet simply because we lack loving connections. God is love, and heaven is built on relationships. Eternal life means having an everlasting, loving bond with God, Jesus Christ, the angels, and all of creation. We know that sin began in heaven—a place of perfect love. What, then, is sin? Sin is the opposite of love; it is selfishness. It is doing things that destroy our relationship with God for the sake of our own desires. Lucifer, the covering cherub, was created perfect, meaning he originally had a perfect relationship with the Lord. But he desired to be f...

 God is love! He is compassionate, merciful, gracious, and abounding in goodness and truth. God loves you, and God loves me. He loves me with an infinite love—a love that will take me eternity to even begin to understand. God loves me more than I can ever love myself, and more than anyone else ever could. He so loves you and me that He would rather die than lose us for eternity. God's love is truly incomprehensible. God loves you! But sin has created a breach of trust between us and God, so we now often see our loving Creator as someone seeking to destroy us. The moment Adam and Eve sinned, their perception of God changed. Whereas they used to come to God, they instead fled from His presence. They used to enjoy His presence; now, they hide for fear that He will destroy them. But God did not come after them to destroy them; He came to save them from ruin, to give them a promise of hope, and to lay down His life for them. Many of us are continuing on the same path as Adam and Eve. W...

 What is the real problem with us and with society? Is it mental health? Is it economics? Is it loneliness? Is it a lack of education or physical health? While all these things are problems, they are only symptoms of the real issue. The root of our struggle is not physical at all; it is spiritual and always has been. The real problem is our separation from God, the source of life! Immediately after Adam and Eve sinned, they realized something they had never felt before. They realized they were naked. Nature seemed to change, and they quickly sought to cover their nakedness with fig leaves. But what was the real issue? Was it a physical issue? Was it mental? Was it an environmental issue? No. Adam and Eve had a spiritual problem, yet they sought a physical solution: "fig leaves." The real issue was their separation from God. Adam and Eve had disobeyed Him and transgressed His law, resulting in an internal separation. The Spirit of God, who had previously dwelt within them, was...

 God is immutable , while we are mutable . Immutable means unchanging over time or unable to be changed. God is unchanging! Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. God doesn’t change; there is not even a shadow of turning with Him. It is impossible for God to change since He is eternal and infinite in wisdom. God knows all things. Change implies learning new things or gaining new information, but God doesn’t learn; He already knows all things, created all things, and rules over all things. God is immutable! All created beings are mutable. Every created being, from the highest angel to the lowest insect, changes—simply because all created beings are finite. It is impossible for a created being to know everything. We are constantly learning and changing as we grow. Because change is a reality for us, we face two simple choices: we are either changing for the better or for the worse. All around us, we see people moving in one of these two directions. How do we change? We chan...

This world is getting worse by the day. Temptations, like an overwhelming flood, are sweeping many people into the darkness of the world and toward everlasting destruction. Everywhere we look, we see misery and ruin. Many are looking to politicians to solve the problems of the world, but politicians cannot fix them. The problems of the world are beyond the capacity of human beings to repair. The struggles of our lives are spiritual in nature, and we need a spiritual solution. We must cling to Jesus when we face alluring temptations; He will keep us standing. We must cling to Jesus when life seems overwhelming; He will hide us under His wings. We must cling to Jesus when we face problems at home, at school, at work, or with family and friends. Cling to Jesus, and you will not be moved. Cling to Him, and He will keep you. Life is unbearable without Jesus as your anchor. Without Him, fear, anxiety, and depression will overwhelm you. But with Jesus as your anchor, you shall not be moved wh...

 In The Story of Redemption , Ellen White wrote of a conversation Satan had with Jesus after being cast out of heaven. In that conversation, Satan claimed he "repented of his sins and wished to be readmitted into heaven, into the presence of God." Jesus wept at Satan’s woe but told him—as the mind of God—that he could never be readmitted because the "seeds of rebellion" were still in him. I have often been puzzled by that phrase: "the seeds of rebellion." It suggests that God allowed the devil and his angels to live so that their true characters could be revealed to all. In heaven, Satan had been so deceptive that even the holy angels could not fully understand his nature; therefore, time was required for his character to mature and be seen for what it was. The issue of character development is fascinating. What is a "seed" of character? How do we acquire these seeds, how is character developed, and how is it revealed? Character is who you are. I...