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Wally

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SDA Sabbath School Lesson 4--2nd Quarter 2019--When Alone
« on: April 19, 2019, 03:45:53 PM »
Lesson 4 April 20-26





When Alone







Commentary in Navy                  Inspiration in Maroon









So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants:  we have done that which was our duty to do.  Luke 17:10

Richard Myers

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Re: SDA Sabbath School Lesson 4--2nd Quarter 2019--When Alone
« Reply #1 on: April 19, 2019, 08:48:36 PM »
Sabbath Afternoon

Read for This Week’s Study: Eccles. 4:9-12, Phil. 4:11-13, 1 Cor. 7:25-34, Matt. 19:8, Gen. 37:34, Isa. 54:5.

Memory Text: “And the LORD God said, [It is] not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.” Genesis 2:18

A fascinating yet painful story made the news years ago. A young woman had been found dead in her apartment. Though the death was tragic itself, what made the story worse was that the woman had been dead for more than 10 years before being found. Ten years! Thus, the question that people had asked, and rightly so, was: How in a big city like this, with so many people, and with so many means of communication, could a woman, who was not a street person, have been dead for so long and no one know?

Though extreme, this story is an example of a reality: many people are suffering from loneliness. In 2016, The New York Times ran an article entitled, “Researchers Confront an Epidemic of Loneliness”. The problem is real.

From the start, we as human beings were not meant to be alone. From Eden onward, we were to live in fellowship with other human beings to some degree or another. Of course, sin came in, and nothing has been right since then. This week we will look at the question of companionship and loneliness at the various times of life that, perhaps, all of us have at some time faced. If not, then count yourself fortunate.

Yes, fortunate if the word. If only all would come to know Jesus as I know Him. There is no loneliness when Jesus is with you. On the other hand, we do long for sympathy when suffering, and we are made to be friends and to have friends. Jesus was lonely when walking upon the Earth. But, we are never alone. Jesus will not withdraw His beams of light and love from us as long as we are fully surrendered to Him. How can we be lonely when the King of the Universe is by our side!

So, our loneliness is not like those in the world who find themselves all alone and don't know Jesus. What an opportunity that creates for Christians!!


Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, April 27.


Jesus receives His reward when we reflect His character, the fruits of the Spirit......We deny Jesus His reward when we do not.

Richard Myers

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Re: SDA Sabbath School Lesson 4--2nd Quarter 2019--When Alone
« Reply #2 on: April 20, 2019, 01:53:52 PM »
Sunday         April 21

Companionship


Read Ecclesiastes 4:9-12.

 4:9   Two [are] better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. 
 4:10   For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him [that is] alone when he falleth; for [he hath] not another to help him up. 
 4:11   Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm [alone]? 
 4:12   And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken. 


What’s the basic idea there? What principle of life is it talking about in general?

Jesus sent His disciples out two by two. When one was down, the other was there to encourage. God meant for His church to offer the same opportunity. At times this does not happen. In a Laodicean church, there are few who are converted, so they are not of help. We long for godly friends. For many years I could not find those who loved Jesus with the whole heart, not in my church. Things have changed. The Holy Spirit is being poured out upon the church. People are responding, either accepting the light or rejecting it. There is a separation taking place.

Verse 12 I have always thought of applying to marriage. If Christ is the center of the marriage, then there will success. If not, then the marriage may not end in divorce, but it is not a happy one.

Companionship is something important to humans, and most animals. We are social beings. Jesus longed for human sympathy when He agonized over His separation from His Father. We cannot imagine how He hurt. He got no sympathy from His closest disciples. How very sad! We have it in our power to help others who are lonely. We can be a friend. Since it is more blessed to give than to receive, we will be greatly  blessed in helping others with an unselfish love.



Very few of us can make it alone. Even if we are loners and like being alone, sooner or later we not only want some companionship but we might even require it, especially in times of need. We were, indeed, made for community, for fellowship. How fortunate are those who have close family members who can give comfort and support, especially in times of need.

Unfortunately, there are people in our church, where we work, in the communities where we live, who have no one to turn to, not just in their time of need, but even for some conversation at the end of the day. The sense of loneliness can come at any time. “The hardest day for me”, an unmarried man said, “is Sunday. During the week I am surrounded by people at work. On Sabbath I see people at church. But on Sunday I am all alone”.

What principles can we all learn from the following passages, particularly when we may be going through a time of loneliness? John 16:32, 33; Phil. 4:11-13.

Yes, as Christians we have not only the reality of God but the reality of being able to fellowship with God. And we can, indeed, draw comfort from the closeness of God to us. But the closeness of God to Adam, in Eden, didn’t stop the Lord from saying “It is not good that man should be alone” (Gen. 2:18, NKJV). Thus, God knew that Adam, even when he had fellowship with God in a world undamaged by sin, still needed human companionship. How much more, then, do the rest of us need companionship, as well.

We need to be careful, too, from assuming that just because there are a lot of people around, a person cannot be lonely. Some of the loneliest people live in big cities where they often have interaction with others. Just being around other bodies doesn’t mean someone cannot feel alone and alienated and in need of fellowship.

It’s not always easy to know who is feeling lonely, alienated, rejected, or just plain hurting and in need of someone, if nothing else, just to talk to. How can you proactively seek to be more sensitive to whomever those people might be?

Jesus was always looking to help others. By a kind word, or by supplying a need, His love was revealed. God has given us much that we might be a blessing to others. If we wish to be successful at giving the gospel message, we need to first plow the ground before planting the Seed, which is the Word of God. How do we plow the ground? The ground is the heart. How do we reach the heart? We minister to physical needs. Jesus spent more time healing than preaching. So ought we be a blessing to others in a similar manner.

Just yesterday I was picking up something at the store and noticed a woman buying almond milk. I started say something, but did not. I am always looking for an opportunity to talk to people who do not understand much about health. As I was walking down another isle, I saw her and asked if she was a strict vegetarian since I noticed she had picked up the almond milk. She said no, that she just had problems with cow milk. I said that it was good she knew she had problem that caused her to not use dairy. This gave me the opportunity to share the relationship between disease in animals and disease in humans. She appreciated the help and asked if I had a website where she could read more. Since my health site is down now, I gave her our Healthful Living link.

There are so very many people in the world who hunger for love and companionship. When we love Jesus supremely, then we are able to share His love in many ways. God will give us opportunities like this if we want to help others. It was the second time that day that I had shared health information with someone I had not known. It is interesting and sad that after 25 years of doing so, only two people out of hundreds knew that cancer can be caused by a virus, and that much milk is infected with Leukemia Virus. Unlike some church members who do not appreciate the light, in the world, only two out of hundreds did not appreciate the information.
Jesus receives His reward when we reflect His character, the fruits of the Spirit......We deny Jesus His reward when we do not.

Richard Myers

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Re: SDA Sabbath School Lesson 4--2nd Quarter 2019--When Alone
« Reply #3 on: April 22, 2019, 07:16:36 AM »
Monday          April 22

The Unmarried Life

A young woman told of the advantages of not being married: “Twice I had the opportunity to go serve in the mission field, and I responded without any hesitation”. A married person, with a family, might have had to take a little more time making that decision because it doesn’t just involve them but also their spouse and children.

What are, according to Paul, good reasons for remaining unmarried? 1 Cor. 7:25-34.

 7:25   Now concerning virgins I have no commandment of the Lord: yet I give my judgment, as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful. 
 7:26   I suppose therefore that this is good for the present distress, [I say], that [it is] good for a man so to be. 
 7:27   Art thou bound unto a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife. 
 7:28   But and if thou marry, thou hast not sinned; and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned. Nevertheless such shall have trouble in the flesh: but I spare you. 
 7:29   But this I say, brethren, the time [is] short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none; 
 7:30   And they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not; 
 7:31   And they that use this world, as not abusing [it]: for the fashion of this world passeth away. 
 7:32   But I would have you without carefulness. He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord: 
 7:33   But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please [his] wife. 
 7:34   There is difference [also] between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please [her] husband. 


Most people think that being married is God’s will for them. Didn’t He say, “it is not good that man should be alone?” And yet, we have many examples in the Bible of people who were not married, including the greatest example of all, Jesus Christ.

Jeremiah was told not to marry (Jer. 16:1-3); it was a judgment on a historical situation. We don’t know if that restriction was ever removed, but it is clear that Jeremiah was a great prophet while he was single.

Also, Ezekiel’s marital status did not seem to be of great importance, even though his wife died suddenly. He was not even allowed to mourn but was to continue on with the ministry the Lord had assigned him (Ezek. 24:15-18). The prophet Hosea also experienced a broken marriage, but was able to continue in ministry. While the story seems strange to us, God told him to go marry a prostitute whom God knew would leave Hosea for other men (Hosea 1-3). Looking back, we can see God trying to illustrate the onesided love that He has for Israel and for us, but it must have been extremely hard and painful for Hosea to be the object lesson.

In each of these examples, marital status was not an issue. God was interested in the person’s integrity, obedience, and ability to say what God wanted him to say. We need to be sure that our life is not defined by our marital condition. Many voices today will tell us that unless we are married we are not complete. Paul would respond, “Don’t be like the people of this  world”. Instead, “offer your bodies to him as a living sacrifice, pure and pleasing” (Rom. 12:1, 2, CEV).

What are practical ways you can minister to those who are unmarried, both church members and non-church members?

We can witness the character of Christ to all, We can minister to individual's physical needs. We have been greatly blessed with a knowledge of health that we might minister to those who are sick. And, we might share the truth we read in today's lesson that it is better to not marry that we might serve the Lord with all of our energy and time. Why is it that so many conferences insist that their ministers be married? Do they not trust them to be faithful? Then ought they be more careful in who they ordain?

It is not sin to marry. And God would have some marry. But, today, it would be better for most not to marry. And, it is most difficult to rear children in this wicked world. It is as it was at the time of the great flood when God saw all was evil and destroyed every living thing off the face of the Earth except what was in the sea and in the ark. And if we have children, the children ought to have a mother and a father. This ought to be considered when divorced.  The lesson did not mention when pointing to unmarried men, that Paul was unmarried, yet when in the Sanhedrin, it was a requirement. Was he divorced as was Hosea? If so, he could understand what he was teaching by his own experience.

Jesus receives His reward when we reflect His character, the fruits of the Spirit......We deny Jesus His reward when we do not.

Richard Myers

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Re: SDA Sabbath School Lesson 4--2nd Quarter 2019--When Alone
« Reply #4 on: April 23, 2019, 08:08:49 PM »
Tuesday         April 23

When a Marriage Ends


Of all the ways sin has devastated humanity, with the exception of physical suffering and death, what has faced more devastating consequences from sin than the family? It’s almost as if the phrase, “dysfunctional family” is redundant. What family isn’t, to some degree, dysfunctional?

A family where both are in a converted state when married and who remain fully surrendered to Christ.


Outside of death, one of the hardest things a family can face is a divorce. People going through this terrible experience run a gamut of emotions. Probably the first and most common is grief, which, depending on the individuals, may last for several months to several years with different intensity. Some may experience fear; fear of the unknown, financial anxieties, and fear of being unable to cope. Some may go through a period of depression, anger, and, yes—loneliness.

If one is in a converted state when divorced, there is great sorrow over the spiritual condition of the one who leaves, and often does so because of adultery. There is a loss especially when there was a three fold connection during the marriage. Even if not, there is a bonding most often that is painful for the Christain when separation occurs. It is so very sad that the divorce rate in the church is as high as the world. What does this say about the church? The world has come into the church.


What broad principles concerning divorce can we gather from the following verses? Mal. 2:16; Matt. 5:31, 32; 19:8; 1 Cor. 7:11-13.

“The Church as a redemptive agency of Christ is to minister to its members in all of their needs and to nurture everyone so that all may grow into a mature Christian experience. This is particularly true when members face lifelong decisions such as marriage and distressful experiences such as divorce. When a couple’s marriage is in danger of breaking down, every effort should be made by the partners and those in the church or family who minister to them to bring about their reconciliation in harmony with divine principles for restoring wounded relationships (Hosea 3:1-3; 1 Cor. 7:10, 11; 13:4-7; Gal. 6:1).

“Resources that can be of assistance to members in the development of a strong Christian home are available through the church or other church organizations. These resources include: (1) programs of orientation for couples engaged to be married, (2) programs of instruction for married couples with their families, and (3) programs of support for broken families and divorced individuals”. – The Seventh-day Adventist Church Manual, 19th edition (Nampa, Idaho: Pacific Press Publishing Association, 2016), p. 161.

The church in many cases participates in the divorce when not following Bible truth. How does God look at divorce that does not involve adultery? And what is adultery? Some make excuses to allow for divorce. But, the church ought not. Ministers will have a price to pay for allowing and participating in such matters. This is the result of ordaining pastors who are not converted. We look at the rebellion in the church and are concerned, but it is only a symptom of something much more serious. What is often the result of divorces in the church when there are children involved? Much pain for the children.

What does Jesus say about unBiblical divorces? "It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:  But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery." Matthew 5:31,32. It works the same way when a woman divorces her husband when there has been no adultery which is fornication. I have seen this happen and the result is often adultery with the innocent one.


What are practical and nonjudgmental ways you can help someone going through divorce?

It depends on whether or not they are the guilty or the non-guilty. The guilty ones are to be removed from the church then are to be treated as heathen which means we love them and attempt to bring them to repentance. The innocent ones need much help, as do the children of divorce. Not sure why the term "nonjudgmental" is being used. Is it that we are to stand by and participate in these nonBiblical divorces? There are churches where the pastor remarries the one who committed adultery and they never left the church. Where is judgment?

Why did the lesson not quote Jesus? The church remains in a Laodicean condition and there is little discernment of how the church participates in these unBiblical divorces and remarriages. Much reproach is brought upon Christ and His church. Non believers see the hypocrisy in the churches. Homosexuals see the hypocrisy also. God weeps over the suffering, especially that of the children. That church members would put their arms around the guilty ones will one day be seen as sin. Love them, but don't encourage them in their sin.


In regard to the case of the injured sister, A.G., we would say in reply to the questions of——that it is a feature in the cases of most who have been overtaken in sin, as her husband has, that they have no real sense of their villainy. Some, however, do and are restored to the church, but not till they have merited the confidence of the people of God by unqualified confessions and a period of sincere repentance. This case presents difficulties not found in some, and we would add only the following:

1. In cases of the violation of the seventh commandment where the guilty party does not manifest true repentance, if the injured party can obtain a divorce without making their own cases and that of their children, if they have them, worse by so doing, they should be free.
2. If they would be liable to place themselves and their children in worse condition by a divorce, we know of no scripture that would make the innocent party guilty by remaining.
3. Time and labor and prayer and patience and faith and a godly life might work a reform. To live with one who has broken the marriage vows and is covered all over with the disgrace and shame of guilty love, and realizes it not, is an eating canker to the soul; and yet a divorce is a lifelong, heartfelt sore. God pity the innocent party! Marriage should be considered well before contracted.
4. Why! oh, why! will men and women who might be respectable and good and reach heaven at last sell themselves to the devil so cheap, wound their bosom friends, disgrace their families, bring a reproach upon the cause, and go to hell at last? God have mercy! Why will not those who are overtaken in crime manifest repentance proportionate to the enormity of their crime and fly to Christ for mercy and heal, as far as possible, the wounds they have made?
5. But, if they will not do as they should, and if the innocent have forfeited the legal right to a divorce, by living with the guilty after his guilt is known, we do not see that sin rests upon the innocent in remaining, and her moral right in departing seems questionable, if her health and life be not greatly endangered in so remaining. Adventist Home, pgs 346,7.
Jesus receives His reward when we reflect His character, the fruits of the Spirit......We deny Jesus His reward when we do not.

Richard Myers

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Re: SDA Sabbath School Lesson 4--2nd Quarter 2019--When Alone
« Reply #5 on: April 23, 2019, 08:43:37 PM »
Wednesday         April 24

Death and Loneliness

Someone once asked the question: What’s the difference between humans and chickens in regard to the question of death? The answer is that, unlike chickens, who die, we humans, who die, too, know that we will die. Chickens don’t. And it’s this knowledge of our impending death that greatly impacts how we live now.

Paul wanted to die. Why? Do we fear death? Why do we not want to die now to be asleep until Jesus comes? On the other hand, if we are not sure about our spiritual condition, maybe we ought to be fearful of dying today or tomorrow?


As we know, all relationships, including marriage, sooner or later come to an end in our greatest enemy: death.

Our greatest enemy is not death, it is sin and Satan.  Death is sleep. "These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep. Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well. Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep. Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead." John 11:11-14. Are we afraid to sleep until Jesus comes? Otherwise we must love this world?


No matter how close a union, no matter the great love, the deep companionship, the time spent together, as human beings we (unlike chickens) know that sooner or later death will come (unless Jesus returns beforehand) and, when it does, all our relationships will cease. This has been our fate from the first sin and will be so until the return of Jesus.

I thought we will all be reunited if we fall asleep in Jesus?


The Bible doesn’t tell us which of the two, Adam or Eve, died first, but it must have been particularly painful for the other one, especially since death was never supposed to be part of life to begin with. If, as we saw in an earlier lesson, the death of a single leaf caused them to mourn, who could imagine what they went through with a death of a spouse?

I think Adam looked forward to death after all he saw because of his sin. And, how did they look at the death of their son, the innocent one?


The problem is that we are so used to death, we just take it for granted. But it was never supposed to be something that we as humans experienced. Hence, even to this day, we struggle to make sense of it, when, so often, we just can’t.

What do the following texts teach us about death and about how people struggle with it?

Isa. 57:1   The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth [it] to heart: and merciful men [are] taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil [to come]. 

Rev. 21:4   And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. 

1 Thess. 4:17, 18      Then we which are alive [and] remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.  Wherefore comfort one another with these words. 

Matt. 5:4      Blessed [are] they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

2 Sam. 18:33   And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son! 

Gen. 37:34      And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days. 


This is a rebuke to those who do not understand, but ought to have: "none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil "to come." And how about David weeping over his son, Absalom? I would surely weep if my unrepentant son died, especially if I had been the influence that David was to his sons.


No question: not only do we all face the reality of our own death, we face the reality of the death of others, of loved ones, of maybe our closest companion. Hence, sooner or later, many of us will face a time, a season, of loneliness brought about by the death of someone else. It’s hard, it hurts, and at such times we can, and often must, just claim the promises of God. After all, in this world of sin, suffering, and death, what else do we have?

Can we not rejoice that the loved one no longer is in pain, sorrow, or tempted to sin? We miss those we love, but are we to continue thinking of ourselves rather than of the one who has escaped the corruption in this world?

And how are we to comfort those who have lost a loved one? We are to remind them that it is not as bad as they think. Remind them of the things which are not seem which are eternal. This life is just to prepare us for the next where the dead's resting place has already been decided. As for the dead outside of Christ, remind the living one that God is perfectly fair, and there are many more we can have an influence to save. In other words, led the dead  bury the dead. Go and help those who still can be saved.There is great joy in doing so.


How can your church help those whom you know are suffering loneliness from the death of a loved one?

We can be a friend and turn their eyes upon Jesus.

Jesus receives His reward when we reflect His character, the fruits of the Spirit......We deny Jesus His reward when we do not.

Richard Myers

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Re: SDA Sabbath School Lesson 4--2nd Quarter 2019--When Alone
« Reply #6 on: April 26, 2019, 08:17:27 PM »
Thursday          April 25

Spiritually Single


A young woman named Natalie had been married for seven years when, at the invitation of a friend, she attended an evangelistic series at a local Seventh-day Adventist church. Convicted by what she learned, she surrendered her heart to Christ, had a new-birth experience, and—despite the strenuous objections of her husband, parents, in-laws, even her next-door neighbor—Natalie joined the Seventh-day Adventist Church. She also adjusted her lifestyle, to every degree possible, to her newfound faith.

As one could imagine, she faced a great deal of pushback; what made it especially hard was her husband, who argued, and correctly so: “This is not what I signed up for when we got married. You are a whole new person, and I want the old one back”.

For years now, she has been struggling to live a life of faith. Though married, she is what we could call “spiritually single”.

What encouraging words do we find in the following verses for those who may feel spiritually single?

Isa. 54:5    For thy Maker [is] thine husband; the LORD of hosts [is] his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called. 

Hos. 2:19, 20   And I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies. I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know the LORD.  ,

Ps. 7 2:12   For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and [him] that hath no helper. 


It is true that those who are married to someone who is not faithful, or maybe is not even professing to be, and this causes much pain. But, the Lord tells us to remain with them anyway. Why?  Is there any reason to leave a spouse if there is no adultery? There surely is, not divorce, but one must take care when married to someone who is violent or hurting the children. Better to live apart from the violent person. Some belong in jail. We can love them, but they are not at liberty to physically hurt another. 

Can a atheist become a Christian? Yes. Can a spouse be a savor of life unto life? Yes. But, it might be better to send the  spouse back to their mother who had a lot to do with the character being witnessed. In these cases, one must remain unmarried unless the unfaithful spouse commits adultery.

These verses are comforting, that God loves us, even if living with are separated from a spouse, or even if divorced, or even if I am not converted. But, the one who was made one flesh with a spouse hurts when things do not work out. And, to watch your children hurt, or be influenced contrary to the light we have, is most painful. Church members who love Jesus supremely can help those in such pain. And even if they are not in pain, we can be a much help in sympathizing with them and their children. God help the guilty ones, especially if they professed to be Christians and were not. It is sad to see a rejection of light in such cases. There is hope for the sinner, but in the meantime, the church needs to take special note of the ones who are suffering in such situations. What can we do? We can listen, sympathize, and most of all, comfort them if we have experienced similar trials, and point them to Jesus as the only One who can heal the broken-hearted.


All over the world, there are “Natalies” in our church. These people, men or women, are married but attend church alone or only with their children. They may have married a person of a different faith. Or perhaps when they joined the church, their spouse did not. Or when married, both were members of the church, but one, for whatever reason, dropped out, stopped coming, and might even be hostile to the faith. These men and woman come alone to church and to the meal after the worship service, or go alone to the outreach or social activities of the church. They are saddened when they cannot contribute financially to the church’s ministry as much as they would like because their spouse does not agree to do so. Though married, they might feel spiritually like a widow or a widower.

We probably all, at some time or another, have met people like this in the church, and they do need our love and support.

What practical things can we, as a church family, do to help the spiritually single in our midst?

Small groups are a blessing to those who are lonely. Small groups who love Jesus supremely and appreciate all of the light we have been given. There is a Bible promise that is so very encouraging where children are involved. "Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered? But thus saith the LORD, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered: for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children. And I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh; and they shall be drunken with their own blood, as with sweet wine: and all flesh shall know that I the LORD [am] thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob." Isaiah 49:24-26. 

It would be good to keep these in prayer and pray with them. Some will be surprised to find out that all of these are not weak and trembling, but in Christ, they are drawing power from Jesus and are mighty witnesses of the power of
God's grace in times of such great trial. It hurts to watch your children suffer. Our heavenly Fathers knows of usch pain. He allowed His innocent Son to come to this dark spot in the universe where he who hated Christ claimed dominion. He allowed His Son to come as a helpless babe subject to the weakness of humanity to fight the battle of life as we must fight it, at the risk of failure and eternal loss. Such love!! We who have been in such a situation can identify with the pain that our heavenly Father felt as He watched His Son suffer. God will lift all up above the pain in this world, but will not take the trial away. He will give us love, peace, and joy amid the crisis. It is a promise for all who love Him supremely!

Jesus receives His reward when we reflect His character, the fruits of the Spirit......We deny Jesus His reward when we do not.

Richard Myers

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Re: SDA Sabbath School Lesson 4--2nd Quarter 2019--When Alone
« Reply #7 on: April 26, 2019, 08:40:47 PM »
Friday          April 26

Further Thought: “In the midst of a life of active labor, Enoch steadfastly maintained his communion with God. The greater and more pressing his labors, the more constant and earnest were his prayers. He continued to exclude himself at certain periods from all society. After remaining for a time among the people, laboring to benefit them by instruction and example, he would withdraw, to spend a season in solitude, hungering and thirsting for that divine knowledge which God alone can impart. Communing thus with God, Enoch came more and more to reflect the divine image. His face was radiant with a holy light, even the light that shineth in the face of Jesus. As he came forth from these divine communings, even the ungodly beheld with awe the impress of heaven upon his countenance”. – Ellen G. White, Gospel Workers, p. 52. Though the story of Enoch here is encouraging and has something powerful to say about those who choose to have times of solitude, many face a solitude they don’t ask for.They don’t want to be alone. Yes, again, we can always have a joyful communion with the Lord, who is everpresent, but sometimes we crave human companionship and fellowship. How crucial that we, as a church, be ready to reach out to those who might be sitting right next to us on Sabbath each week, yet who are going through a terrible season of loneliness. At the same time, if you are going through such a time, seek out someone whom you feel that you can trust at church (or elsewhere) and let them know. Many times people simply cannot tell by looking at someone what they are going through. It’s easy, at least for some people, to hide behind a mask.

Better to consider that maybe it is we who are hiding behind a mask. If so, then how can we really help the suffering ones. Is our experience founded upon Christ, the Rock of our salvation? Are we filled with the fruits of the Spirit, or are we more concerned with our personal situation? We need to ask God to reveal our sins, that we might not seek to hide behind a mask.


Discussion Questions:


    How can your church learn to be more sensitive to the needs of the lonely in your midst?

The answer is always the same, we need to be filled with the Holy Spirit, which happens when we love Jesus with the whole heart. When we put Jesus first, then we will be more sensitive to the needs of others.


    “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, [therewith] to be content.” Phil. 4:11. Read the larger context of Paul’s words here. How can we learn to apply these to ourselves? At the same time, why must we be very careful in how we quote this passage to someone who truly is hurting?

They may not be in a position to be content. There is a condition that must be met before one can be content in whatever befalls him. What is that condition?


    In class, talk about a time you went through severe loneliness. What helped you? What hurt you? What did you learn that could be a help to others?

The answer is always the same, we need Jesus all the time in order to have peace amid the storm. Love, joy, and peace only come when we surrender all we have and all we are to Jesus. Then the Holy Spirit will take possession of the heart and bring with Him love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance which is self control.

Are we not told we ought not be surprised when fiery trials come upon us? Do we glory in our tribulation? If not, why not? Why does God allows us to be tempted? Does He ever allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear? Then, did the promise fail? God's promises never fail. Why are we tempted beyond what we can bear when the promise says God will not allow it? Because the promise has a condition. What is that condition? When we are faced with a great trial, and we are fully surrendered to Christ, then will the trial benefit us? Will it benefit God? If so, where can we find this in Scripture?

Share with your Sabbath School class why God allows bad things to happen to a mother and her children when she loves Jesus supremely.
Jesus receives His reward when we reflect His character, the fruits of the Spirit......We deny Jesus His reward when we do not.