Our choice, but his grace

Jesus in in The House

Fixing the Broken Mirror

Jesus Is In the House

Pablo Balboa

Jared Thurmon

The Body Temple - Jared Thurmon

Jared Thurmon - Power down to power up

What is the compounding effect of having music, video, notifications, pings, and dings filling our eyes and ears all day and night? Booth Business School at the University of Chicago conducted a study and found that checking email and social media is more addictive – MORE addictive than cigarettes and alcohol. in this message, we dig into what the Bible can teach us about hearing God's voice in a noisy world.

Power Down to Power Up - Jared Thurmon

A society should be judged not by how it treats its outstanding citizens but by how it treats its criminals. - Fyodor Dostoyevsky In this episode we talk about hell, its origins and what the Bible actually says about the destruction of the wicked.

A society should be judged not by how it treats its outstanding citizens but by how it treats its criminals. - Fyodor Dostoyevsky In this episode we talk about hell, its origins and what the Bible actually says about the destruction of the wicked.

Diet Hell - Jared Thurmon

Carol Putman

The Agent Pledge - Carol Putman

We believe the purpose for our existence is to bless others with our existence. We each have a unique calling in this world and it is our desire to find it, hone it and use it. Each week, we look at current issues through the lens of scripture in order to find ways to apply what we learn throughout the week.

I am so blessed by these messages. Thanks to all who are helping others understand

Messages

Truth

Seventh-day Adventist Church of Adairsville

The majority of Americans now believe in intelligent alien life. Does the Bible talk about Aliens? If so, who are they? What is their agenda? Are they Aliens or could they be Angels, Demons, Relatives or something else? Why is the discussion on making contacting increasing?

Aliens or Angels?

Pride is arguably the foundation of all sin and selfishness. How do we fight this enemy? In our latest series on the 7 deadly sins, we begin with pride - where it all began.

Pride - 7 Deadly Sins // Jared Thurmon

Rick Naus

When Jesus is asked about the end of the world, He says that it would be much like the days of Noah just before a flood came onto the earth. What were those days like? Are we seeing the same scenes play out today?

When Jesus is asked about the end of the world, He says that it would be much like the days of Noah just before a flood came onto the earth. What were those days like? Are we seeing the same scenes play out today?

The Days of Noah  // Rick Naus

Candor is something that we need more of. In this message, we look at the story of Abigail as she speaks faith into the future king of Israel's life and shows kindness but doesn't shy away from being totally candid in their private conversation. There is a need for more candor in relationships at work, at church and at home.

Abigail and a Culture of Candor

In this episode we talk about how frustration can lead to anger. But is there another path away from anger that we can walk on? “Anger always comes from frustrated expectation”-Elliott Larson.Frustration prolonged breeds anger. Frustration prolonged also breeds depression because a frustrated person sees everything as a problem and becomes negative. 26  Do not let the sun go down on your anger. - Ephesians 4:26Wayne Dyer states “Anger is a choice as well as a habit.  It is learned reaction to frustration in which you behave in ways that you would rather not.  In fact, severe anger is a form of insanity.  You are insane whenever you are not in control your behavior.  Therefore, when you are angry and out of control, you are temporarily insane”. Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seventh-day-adventist-church-of-adairsville/id1440553159Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/62bPX2F27W2ru285tCZiGCWeb - https://www.adairsvillesda.org/messagesYoutube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPtXrko_a1HNUtBJAgx6qEA

In this episode we talk about how frustration can lead to anger. But is there another path away from anger that we can walk on? “Anger always comes from frustrated expectation”-Elliott Larson. Frustration prolonged breeds anger. Frustration prolonged also breeds depression because a frustrated person sees everything as a problem and becomes negative.  26  Do not let the sun go down on your anger. - Ephesians 4:26 Wayne Dyer states “Anger is a choice as well as a habit.  It is learned reaction to frustration in which you behave in ways that you would rather not.  In fact, severe anger is a form of insanity.  You are insane whenever you are not in control your behavior.  Therefore, when you are angry and out of control, you are temporarily insane”. Apple Podcasts - <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seventh-day-adventist-church-of-adairsville/id1440553159" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seventh-day-adventist-church-of-adairsville/id1440553159</a> Spotify - <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/62bPX2F27W2ru285tCZiGC" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://open.spotify.com/show/62bPX2F27W2ru285tCZiGC</a> Web - <a href="https://www.adairsvillesda.org/messages" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.adairsvillesda.org/messages</a> Youtube - <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPtXrko_a1HNUtBJAgx6qEA" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPtXrko_a1HNUtBJAgx6qEA</a>

Anger- 7 Deadly Sins // Jared Thurmon

Perhaps there is no more divisive topic in Christianity. How are we saved? By our faith? By our works? What if I told you neither? Perfection may be something we thought we knew, but we may be wrong. Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seventh-day-adventist-church-of-adairsville/id1440553159Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/62bPX2F27W2ru285tCZiGCWeb - https://www.adairsvillesda.org/messagesYoutube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPtXrko_a1HNUtBJAgx6qEA

Perhaps there is no more divisive topic in Christianity. How are we saved? By our faith? By our works? What if I told you neither? Perfection may be something we thought we knew, but we may be wrong. Apple Podcasts - <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seventh-day-adventist-church-of-adairsville/id1440553159" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seventh-day-adventist-church-of-adairsville/id1440553159</a> Spotify - <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/62bPX2F27W2ru285tCZiGC" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://open.spotify.com/show/62bPX2F27W2ru285tCZiGC</a> Web - <a href="https://www.adairsvillesda.org/messages" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.adairsvillesda.org/messages</a> Youtube - <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPtXrko_a1HNUtBJAgx6qEA" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPtXrko_a1HNUtBJAgx6qEA</a>

Perfection // Jared Thurmon

The Israelites are losing their grasp on who God is. They think God is the box - the ark of the covenant. In fact some today still think if only they had this box, they could conquer the world. But in this message we look at making sure we understand the source of power and not being deceived by symbols of power. Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seventh-day-adventist-church-of-adairsville/id1440553159Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/62bPX2F27W2ru285tCZiGCYoutube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPtXrko_a1HNUtBJAgx6qEAWeb - https://www.adairsvillesda.org/messages

The Israelites are losing their grasp on who God is. They think God is the box - the ark of the covenant. In fact some today still think if only they had this box, they could conquer the world. But in this message we look at making sure we understand the source of power and not being deceived by symbols of power. Apple Podcasts - <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seventh-day-adventist-church-of-adairsville/id1440553159" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seventh-day-adventist-church-of-adairsville/id1440553159</a> Spotify - <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/62bPX2F27W2ru285tCZiGC" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://open.spotify.com/show/62bPX2F27W2ru285tCZiGC</a> Youtube - <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPtXrko_a1HNUtBJAgx6qEA" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPtXrko_a1HNUtBJAgx6qEA</a> Web - <a href="https://www.adairsvillesda.org/messages" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.adairsvillesda.org/messages</a>

Understanding the Source of Power // Jared Thurmon

Harlot or Hero? - 7 January 12, 2019 adairsvillesda.org "Jesus immediately ascended to Heaven and presented himself before the throne of God, showing the marks of shame and cruelty upon his brow, his hands and feet. But he refused to receive the coronet of glory, and the royal robe, and he also refused the adoration of the angels "Jesus refused to receive the homage of his people until he knew that his sacrifice had been accepted by the Father, and until he had received the assurance from God himself that his atonement for the sins of his people had been full and ample, that through his blood they might gain eternal life." -Spirit of Prophecy, Volume 3, p. 202 The Father embraces Jesus - Yes it is enough! —————————————— There is John, one of Jesus closest friends, looking off into the sunset of the Mediterranean. He feels the warm rays of the setting sun under the azure blue sky. He’s remembering the past 50 or so years of life. He watches the slowly crashing waves. He hears the birds down by the shore. Jesus is in heaven. The church is on earth. Jesus had promised he would send the Holy Spirit to help the believers and boy did he! John hears the echo of the words of Jesus in his mind - John 14:1-3 - “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. The disciples, John’s friends, his brother James, they had all acted upon Jesus last words - Matthew 28 and Mark 16 - Go into all the world, make disciples, baptize and teach them all that I have taught you. I will be with you and signs will follow you. (Matthew 28:19-20)(Mark 16:15-18) The church as we read in the book of Acts starts off with gusto. Thousands are baptized in a day. Even with the persecution of Saul, the church kept spreading. Then Saul has an encounter with Jesus in a vision !2 of !10 and becomes Paul. The gospel is now turning enemies into evangelists. Finally as Jesus had foretold - Jerusalem once thought to be the eternal city was destroyed by the Romans. How long until He would return? John, on this island, is shown scenes all the way to our day and something is strange. He sees two churches represented by two women:- Scripture uses a woman to describe a religious movement. Jeremiah 6:2 I have likened the daughter of Zion To a lovely and delicate woman. Revelation 19:7,8 Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.” 8 And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Revelation 14:4  Church is described as pure and faithful vs. Pure Woman- The Hero in our story - is described as dressed in white, pure, faithful, ready to marry Christ and be with him forever. Revelation 17:1-4 - “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, 2 with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.” 3 So he carried me away in the Spirit into the wilderness. And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast which was full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. 4 The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication. Mystery - Babylon the Great - The Mother of Harlots Revelation 18 !3 of !10 Babylon the Great is Fallen, is Fallen and has become a dwelling place of demons… 1 Peter 5:13 - Peter calls Rome - Babylon Ellicotts Commentary: St. Peter has just personified the church of the place from which he writes, which seems quite as unprosaic a use of language as to call Rome “Babylon.” And it seems pretty clear that the name was quite intelligible to Jewish readers, for whom it was intended. The Apocalypse (Revelation 17:18) is not the only place where Rome is found spoken of under this title. One of the first of living Hebraists (who will not allow his name to be mentioned) told the present writer that no Hebrew of St. Peter’s day would have had need to think twice what city was meant when “Babylon” was mentioned. And on the mention of the name, all the prophecies of the vengeance to be taken on the city which had desolated the Holy Land would rush with consolation into the mind of the readers, and they would feel that St. Peter, though supporting St. Paul, was still in full sympathy with themselves. The Harlot - identified as dressed in purple and red with lots of gold. Fornication or sleeping around outside of marriage is symbolism used to describe being unfaithful to God and to the Law. The wine is used as a symbol of teaching false doctrine. John saw the most confusing thing - two women, representing truth and error, light and darkness all the way to the end. —————— Last week we read that for the sake of man the controversy was to be continued…but for how long? Daniel had foretold of a time that even he didn’t fully understand - 2,300 years into the future - ‘the time of the end’ (Daniel 8:14/17) Daniel has dreams about the future in Daniel 7 all the way to chapter 12 and then… In Daniel 12:4, we read that Daniel is told to seal the book…until the time of the end. That it wouldn’t make much sense until it was all unfolding around the planet a long time into the future. All of the disciples would eventually lose their lives for the message. They went around the world to tell others this amazing story of love. John they had tried to kill multiple times - but were unsuccessful. So they banished him to the island of Patmos where he was given the scenes of the book of the Revelation. !4 of !10 Daniel and John wrote down a a clear prophetic picture of the gruesome days ahead for the church. There is John on Patmos - He sees Jesus reveal Himself and the future unfolds before him…and he is told to write it down sanctuary in heaven - Revelation 1 Future of the church and the war playing out… Revelation 2-3 Judgment - 4-5 Again the state of the church - Revelation 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, Then John writes something that perhaps he at first like Daniel didn’t fully understand. The church would become the greatest enemy on earth to - the faithful of God? Huh? John had seen Jesus become the greatest ‘threat’ to organized religion. But one day, organized religion would become the greatest threat to Jesus and his followers! Life of the early Church …They were teaching, baptizing, healing, worshipping together. Acts 17:2 continued custom of Sabbath observance "The primitive Christians did keep the Sabbath of the Jews;. therefore the Christians for a long time together, did keep their conventions on the Sabbath, (in which some portion of the Law were read: and this continued till the time of the Laodicean council.)” The Whole Works of Jeremey Taylor, Vol. IX, p416 (R. Heber's Edition, Vol.XII, p.416) "The ancient Christians were very careful in the observation of Saturday, or the seventh day..It is plain that all the Oriental churches, and the greatest part of the world, observed the Sabbath as a festival...Athanasius likewise tells us that they held religious assemblies on the Sabbath, not because they were infected with Judaism, but to worship God, the Lord of the Sabbath, Epiphanius says the same." Antiquities of the Christian Church, Vol. II, Book XX, chap. 3, Sec. 1, 66.1137, 1138 !5 of !10 The Falling Away… Paul warns the church though in - 2 Thessalonians 2:3- Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Daniel, writing nearly 1000 years earlier says in Daniel 7 that a power would arise that would persecute the faithful, would attempt to change the very law of god and would rule for 1260 years Daniel 7:25 He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, Shall persecute[a] the saints of the Most High, And shall intend to change times and law. Then the saints shall be given into his hand For a time and times and half a time. In Daniel 7, as Daniel writes of the future he says “I saw a Lion, a Bear, a Leopard and then an awful 4th kingdom come on the earth. We further see how that became Babylon, Persia, Greece, and the Iron Monarchy of Rome which would last the longest. John is given a similar vision of the future of the church. In Revelation 13:1-5 John states: And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. 2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. John sees the same animals in vision but in reverse of how Daniel describes them. 3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. !6 of !10 4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? 5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. And Just to be clear - the dragon is Lucifer/Satan the fallen angel. He has set up a church on the earth - with the end goal to be worshipped by impersonating Jesus with a false second coming…this is the grand almost overmastering strong delusion that we have been warned about Summary They are both shown a power that would one day come on the world that would: 1-would be guilty of making a change to the ten commandments 2-would persecute the saints - the true church, the real heroine - the bride of Christ 3-would be guilty of blasphemy. 4-rule for 1260 years on the earth, John’s definition of Blasphemy was based on two interactions Jesus had with the Pharisees: John 10:36 - Claiming to be god when you are not God Mark 2:7 - “this fellow claims to forgive sins - who can forgive sins but God? This is blasphemy! Recap: The true church - The one Jesus started was one built on love, not force. Love, not selfishness. Built on the laws of the old testament because Jesus said “I have not come to destroy the law, but to fulfill it” Love is the fulfilling of the law. I have not come to change one jot or one tittle from the law”. The ceremonial sacrificial laws of course were done away with but not the moral law. !7 of !10 The Falling Away - The Roman Empire has gone from the glory of the republic before the time of Christ, to the mob ruled democracy for hundreds of years, to finally on the brink of total chaos. Wars have exhausted the treasury, morality has disappeared and finally the pagan emperor - Constantine - sees a vision - and is converted to Christianity. There are some changes that would begin to be implemented: Scripture teaches too much independence of thought and action - therefore: The circulation of the scriptures must be prohibited! So that the people become ignorant. #1 - An attempt to change the law of God - to get the pagan world into the church - to allow for idol worship - of the gods of myth and legend - the heathen gods. The statue of Jupiter would now be called Peter. The images of a woman - the queen of heaven- would not be Juno or Isis but Mary - Mother of god. If you will remember from part 5 in our story - the heathen gods - were the fallen angels of heaven! You can’t just remove a commandment, so the 10th was split into two. The 4th commandment, the only one prefaced by the word “Remember” was moved and now commemorated the first not the Seventh-day of the week. The text of Constantine's Sunday Law of 321 A.D. is: "On the venerable day of the Sun let the magistrates and people residing in cities rest, and let all workshops be closed. In the country however persons engaged in agriculture may freely and lawfully continue their pursuits because it often happens that another day is not suitable for gainsowing or vine planting; lest by neglecting the proper moment for such operations the bounty of heaven should be lost.” At first the Sunday was a day of celebration and Sabbath was still observed. But over time, Sabbath was made a day of mourning and finally given up altogether. After all - the scriptures were hidden. !8 of !10 #2 - Persecution Then great persecution arose from the Papacy in Rome and true Christians fled the cities and lived in the hills and mountains of the wilderness. The Waldenses, The Albigenses, The Huguenots. Revelation 12:6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days. - 1260 years according to the day for a year principle found in bible prophecy. This was the dark ages… because the Light - Jesus was hid from daily life, and also were hidden the truths of scripture #3 Blasphemy The church begins selling indulgences to build a place called - The Basilica of Saint Peter in Rome - Forgiveness of sin was now offered by the church in Rome - what the disciples understood as blasphemy. #4 - Would rule for 1260 years…More on that in a minute Late 1400’s - Columbus is sailing looking for more land - the legend of a new world. Gutenberg has discovered how to print bibles on new technology - the printing press - The Bible is having a resurgence. Around this time, a devout Catholic priest - Martin Luther - takes a journey to Rome - he is about to enter the city and falls to the earth and says “Holy Rome - I salute thee!” And exiting the city he writes “no one can imagine what sins are committed in Rome….If there is a hell, Rome is built over it!” Quite the change of heart. Luther began to study and could not reconcile the sale of the forgiveness of sin with Scripture. The date October 31, 1517 (which since then somehow paganism covered up with a holiday)- Luther has 95 issues that he sees his beloved church must address. This ignites what would be known as The Protestant Reformation - Built on the spirit of protest. !9 of !10 Then a few decades into this ‘Revival’ - The Church of Rome christens - The Society of Jesus - The book -The Great Controversy speaks on this - “At this time the order of the Jesuits was created, the most cruel, unscrupulous, and powerful of all the champions of popery…..To combat these forces, Jesuitism inspired its followers with a fanaticism that enabled them to endure like dangers, and to oppose to the power of truth all the weapons of deception. There was no crime too great for them to commit, no deception too base for them to practice, no disguise too difficult for them to assume. Vowed to perpetual poverty and humility, it was their studied aim to secure wealth and power, to be devoted to the overthrow of Protestantism, and the re-establishment of the papal supremacy. GC 234 It was a fundamental principle of the order that the end justifies the means. By this code, lying, theft, perjury, assassination, were not only pardonable but commendable, when they served the interests of the church. Under various disguises the Jesuits worked their way into offices of state, climbing up to be the counselors of kings, and shaping the policy of nations. They became servants to act as spies upon their masters. They established colleges for the sons of princes and nobles, and schools for the common people; and the children of Protestant parents were drawn into an observance of popish rites. GC 235 ————— “We will never forget that our forefathers, the first inhabitants of the American land, were compelled to leave their native country, to come to bury themselves in unknown and far-distant wildernesses to escape Jesuit tyranny and cruelty. ~Jesuitism Unvailed (Americans Warned About Jesuitism) by Claude Pirat; 1851 AD ~Fifty Years in the Church of Rome by Charles Chiniquy - Abraham Lincoln stated to his friend Chiniquy - “Man must not care where and when he will die, provided he dies at the post of honour and duty.' But I may add, today, that I have a presentiment that God will call me to Him through the hand of an assassin. “Unfortunately, I feel more and more, every day, that it is not against the Americans of the South, alone, I am fighting, it is more against the Pope of Rome, his perfidious Jesuits [and their blind and blood-thirsty slaves,] than against the real American Protestants, that we have to !10 of !10 defend ourselves. Here is the real danger of our position. So long as they will hope to conquer the North, they will spare me; but the day we will rout their armies (and that day will surely come, with the help of God), take their cities, and force them to submit, then, it is my impression that the Jesuits, who are the principal rulers of the South, will do what they have almost invariably done in the past. The dagger, or the pistol of one of their adepts, will do what the strong hands of the warriors could not achieve. This civil war seems to be nothing but a political affair to those who do not see, as I do, the secret springs of that terrible drama. But it is more a religious than a civil war. It is Rome who wants to rule and degrade the North, as she has ruled and degraded the South, from the very day of its discovery. There are only very few of the Southern leaders who are not more or less under the influence of the Jesuits, through their wives, family relations, and their friends. Several members of the family of Jeff Davis belong to the Church of Rome. Even the Protestant ministers are under the influence of the Jesuits without suspecting it. To keep her ascendancy in the North, as she does in the South, Rome is doing here what she has done in Mexico, and in all the South American Republics; she is paralyzing, by a civil war, the arms of the soldiers of Liberty. She divides our nation, in order to weaken, subdue and rule it. So the war continued on earth that had started long ago in heaven - the principle of love and kindness vs. the principle of force and selfishness. ——————— “The War against the Bible, carried forward for so many centuries in France, culminated in the scenes of the French Revolution.” GC 265 The year is 1798 - 1260 years after the Roman Emperor Justinian, issued a decree in 538 AD, proclaiming the Pope to be supreme in religious matters. The moment foretold by Daniel, and John - 1260 years that the Church of Rome would rule the world - had come. Napoleon’s army marches upon Rome - led by General Berthier - , takes the pope captive. This was the death knell to the old world - and everyone knew it. Across the ocean for the last two hundred+ years a nation was springing up, slowly growing in prominence. A place where men and women were fleeing the old world in search of a place where there was no king and no pope. A Protestant Republic… As France is falling, America is rising • Declaration of Independence (1776) • Constitution of the United States (1787) • Bill of Rights (1791) Virgin soil existed in the new world where liberty and freedom of conscience could once again take root. Why this matters now… Revelation 18:4 - 

Harlot or Hero? - 7

Eric Dunkel

It is perhaps the most asked question in religion "Why does God allow bad thing to happen to good people?" In this message, we explore what that means and if there is more to the story. If God is so powerful, why does He allow bad things to happen?

The Passing Storm // Eric Dunkel

America The Beautiful? - 8

Randy Naus

The story of Job shows us the behind the scenes picture in the battle between good and evil. It also shows us the power of faith in both good and bad times. What kind of faith do you have? Is it tested and proven resilient?

The story of Job shows us the behind the scenes picture in the battle between good and evil. It also shows us the power of faith in both good and bad times. What kind of faith do you have? Is it tested and proven resilient?

Job - From Faithless to Faithful // Randy Naus

Perhaps one of the most divisive topics in America today, the topic of Climate Change is not going away. A majority believe it should now be called a Climate Crisis or Climate Emergency, while others deny anything is happening at all. Should Christians be more concerned about the Climate? Does the Bible or Prophecy predict climate change? We attempt to wade into this issue and learn why America may be holding out on the Paris Agreement and what lies ahead.

Perhaps one of the most divisive topics in America today, the topic of Climate Change is not going away. A majority believe it should now be called a Climate Crisis or Climate Emergency, while others deny anything is happening at all. Should Christians be more concerned about the Climate? Does the Bible or Prophecy predict climate change? We attempt to wade into this issue and learn why America may be holding out on the Paris Agreement and what lies ahead.

Christians and Climate Change  // Jared Thurmon

Israel enters the promised land and eventually reaches their greatness in King Solomon. But soon he begins building shrines to the heathen gods all around Jerusalem. Who were these gods? None other than the fallen angels of heaven. In this episode we discuss the role of angels and demons in the war of good and evil and why prayer is one of the rules of engagement that allows God to enter into the affairs of mankind.

Israel enters the promised land and eventually reaches their greatness in King Solomon. But soon he begins building shrines to the heathen gods all around Jerusalem. Who were these gods? None other than the fallen angels of heaven. In this episode we discuss the role of angels and demons in the war of good and evil and why prayer is one of the rules of engagement that allows God to enter into the affairs of mankind.

Angels and Demons - 5

For Such a Time as This Adairsvillesda.org February 9, 2019 The Bible and Historians like the Greek Historian Herodotus, and the Jewish Midrash give us details to one of the greatest stories ever told. A story about risk. A story about the power of a woman’s influence. A story about the power of one man’s courage. A story that warns of the dangers of restricting religious freedom and mingling church and state.... A story for such a time as this… Our story begins on the night of the overthrow of Babylon. King Belshazzar is having a party, everyone is drunk, and in fiery letters written on the wall everyone is terrified to hear from Daniel the prophet that the Kingdom of Babylon has been weighed in the balance…and will be overthrown. It has failed it’s calling, and it is the fault of the king who should have known better and not lowered himself to a drunken festival to the downfall of his empire. At the same time, the Medo-Persian army has diverted the river Euphrates and is marching under the wall to overthrow the metropolis of the greatest empire the world had known. Belshazzar the king is slain. Terror seizes everyone and all are running for their lives. Darius, the future king of this empire, and soon to be a friend of Daniel the prophet, sees something that catches his eye and……………………………………that’s the beginning of our story.  Fast forward – where we pick up our story in Esther Chapter 1:1 Xerxes the Great  Ahasueras, also known as Xerxes – the Grandson of King Cyrus the Great – the son of King Darius – Ruled Media and Persia at its apex. -He becomes King. Xerxes began to be known as a ruthless, cruel, arrogant man. The multiple assassination attempts show that those closest to him didn’t respect him.  Verses 3-5 There was drinking of wine and reveling. It was similar to that last night in Babylon at Belshazzar’s feast with a thousand of his lords. Truly Medo-Persia was the daughter of Babylon. Esther 1:10, 11 - When the heart of the king was drunk with wine, he commanded ... to bring Vashti the queen before the king with the crown royal, to shew the people and the princes her beauty: for she was fair to look upon. Vashti Although the Talmudic rabbis never say explicitly that they read Esther 1:11 as Ahasuerus’ attempt to mock Vashti’s royalty, this may be inferred from the way the rabbinic reading of the command as meaning that Vashti should wear only the diadem (Midrash Abba Gurion 1): אמר ר’ אבא שלא יהיה עליה כלום אלא הכתר וערומה.	R. Abba said: “That she should appear with nothing on her but the crown, that is, naked.” According to the Midrash – The ancient Jewish commentary on the Hebrew Scriptures – Vashti was the daughter of King Belshazzar. Great granddaughter of Nebuchadnezzar. Taken captive by King Darius the night of the overthrow, he took pity on her and eventually had her marry his son – Xerxes/Ahasueras. Vashti’s name means (The Beautiful – The Best) She was known as a savvy politician. The idea is proposed that the ladies banquet held at the same time as Ahasueras/Xerxes festivities was a strategic political maneuver. With all of the noble wives of the empire present, she would have control of a key group of hostages in the event of a coup d’etat at the King’s feast. She had learned her lesson from her father Belshazzar’s feast. Harriet Beecher Stowe called Vashti's disobedience the "first stand for woman's rights. Elizabeth Cady Stanton wrote that Vashti "added new glory to [her] day and generation...by her disobedience; for 'Resistance to tyrants is obedience to God.'" Ellen White states - When this command came from the king, Vashti did not carry out his orders, because she knew that wine had been freely used, and that Ahasuerus was under the influence of the intoxicating liquor. For her husband's sake as well as her own, she decided not to leave her position at the head of the women of the court. She acted in harmony with a pure conscience. -CC 243. 37 The S.D.A. Bible Commentary 3:1139. CC 243.2 Xerxes commanded her to appear before his half-drunken company, wearing only her crown and she refused to be humiliated like that. The men around Xerxes argued this would set a terrible precedent. She hadn’t just wronged him but this would alter the state of society. It would be a power given to woman that would be to her injury (Manuscript 29, 1911) So Xerxes banished Queen Vashti (Esther 1:3). There is no queen in the empire…what now? Mordecai and Esther – Chapter 2 Hadassah was an orphan – of the royal line of Saul. Her parents had both died when she was a baby. She was raised by her cousin Mordecai as his own child. She was simple-hearted and unassuming, requiring little and demanding nothing. SDP 171.2 Mordecai called her Esther to hide her lineage – and at the age of 16 she went to the palace. Like Vashti, she is also known for her beauty. Xerxes marries Esther (Ishtar – goddess of love) (Esther 2:16), when he is 40. She is believed to be around 16. Soon after Esther is crowned queen, Mordecai gets intel of a plot to assassinate the king. He tells Esther and she relays this to the king. 13 years later Xerxes would finally be assassinated while on the throne. All seemed well in the kingdom…but a few years go by and then everything changes in just a few days. Haman and the Jews Haman, a wealthy influential politician and businessman becomes second in command in the government. He begins to hate Mordecai because Mordecai won’t bow down to him when he passes by. He finds out Mordecai is a Jew. So he gets a law passed in the government to discriminate and persecute people based on religious beliefs. He wants to rid the land of all of these Sabbath keepers. Esther 3:9 - If it please the king, issue a decree that they be destroyed, and I will give 10,000 large sacks of silver to the government administrators to be deposited in the royal treasury." Xerxes loved money and it’s that love of money that is the root of all evil… A death decree to destroy those who keep Sabbath and rid the land of them. Why? Because…haven’t you heard? They are troublers of the people! This is story about the danger of mingling of religion and state affairs. The remnant of Israel remained in a foreign land. But John on Patmos saw another moment of the remnant of Israel under attack and declared,  in Revelation 12:17 - “The dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” For about forty years mercy had been extended to Israel, and that people had turned a deaf ear to all pleas to return home. Forty years has often been called the allotted time for a generation to settle its destiny either for or against the truth. Moses was forty years in the wilderness, unlearning the things of Egypt, and being taught in the things of God; Israel wandered forty years in the wilderness, when only eleven days were necessary to make the journey from the Red Sea to the border of Canaan; forty days Christ endured severe temptation as a figure of the time before the destruction of Jerusalem; forty years sealed the fate of the Reformation in Germany; and it was forty years from the preaching of the sealing message until the time of the loud cry. SDP 172.2 So Israel was given forty years in Babylon while angels held the winds of strife. At the end of that time Xerxes yielded to the suggestion of Haman, and issued a decree against that “certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces.” If appeals would no longer attract the attention of the Jews, God would in his mercy let persecution come, that they might be compelled to flee to his side for protection. But when persecution and hardship are approaching, the love of God is so great that he prepares the deliverer ahead of time. SDP 173.1 Esther. The intercessor Esther 3:13-15 says - Dispatches were sent by couriers to all the king’s provinces with the order to destroy, kill and annihilate all the Jews—young and old, women and children—on a single day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, and to plunder their goods.14 A copy of the text of the edict was to be issued as law in every province and made known to the people of every nationality so they would be ready for that day. 15 The couriers went out, spurred on by the king’s command, and the edict was issued in the citadel of Susa…. The city of Shushan/Susa was the first to hear the decree, and anxiety filled the hearts of the Jews. There was distress in every home. “The city of Shushan was perplexed.” On a set day every Jew in the kingdom was to be put to death by the sword; old, young, men, women, and little children, none were excluded. Lucifer was celebrating the thought that at last Israel was in his hand, and the cause of God should fall. “The king and Haman,” two of Satan’s servants, “sat down to drink.” SDP 173.3 Scarcely one year from the date of the decree and death would be their lot. There was seemingly no way of escape. Years before they might have gone up to Jerusalem, but now it was forever too late. SDP 174.1 For many years, all were free to go home but instead stayed in Babylon and in the cities of the empire. They failed to heed the warning of the prophets to “Come out of her my people.” Esther, in the king’s palace, was ignorant of the decree. She hears that Mordecai is in sackcloth mourning at the King’s gate. Chapter 4 Verse 4 - 14 The crucial moment had come to her. Should she, could she, be true to her God? 21 years old! "If God abhors one sin above another, of which His people are guilty, it is doing nothing in case of an emergency. Indifference and neutrality in a religious crisis is regarded of God as a grievous crime and equal to the very worst type of hostility against God." – Ellen White (3T 280) "There comes a time when silence is betrayal." "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." "In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends." – Martin Luther King Verse 15 - 17 Commenting on this moment – Ellen White writes “The angel of God had guarded Hadassah, and directed in her education. He had brought her to the kingdom “for such a time as this.” When there was no man to represent his cause, Jehovah used a woman, and she, a young woman –. Her very beauty was consecrated to the Lord, and he made use of that. God loves the young people, as the history of the Jews certifies.” SDP 173.2 Chapter 5 Esther goes in to the king. Finds Favor. Invites him to a feast with Haman. Haman goes home but sees Mordecai. Verse 11 – I have everything – but I’m miserable and filled with hate. That Night – Chapter 6 King can’t sleep. Haman can’t sleep. Chapter 6:5-10 God had prepared from afar for deliverance. The very act of kindness done years before by Mordecai wrought in the deliverance of his people. Who says there is no record kept of man’s acts, or that man performs any deed of kindness unprompted by heavenly beings? God not only used Esther to save his people; but he also used Mordecai. SDP 175.1 Banquet - Chapter 7 Verse 3 – 10 Chapter 8 - Onward And many of the people of the land became Jews; for the fear of the Jews fell upon them.” Esther 8:14, 17. PK 602.1 Angels that excel in strength had been commissioned by God to protect His people while they “stood for their lives.” Esther 9:2, 16. PK 602.2 Mordecai is us. Haman is Lucifer. Was next to the throne and will be replaced by you and I. Ellen White comments saying “Mordecai was promoted to the position of chief counselor of Xerxes; and a decree issued that on the day appointed for the slaughter of the Jews, every Jew should bear arms and defend himself against the Persians. …. Again God had defeated the schemes, not of men only, but of the archenemy. Truth triumphed in spite of the waywardness of his people. This decree of Ahasuerus, or Xerxes, is the counterpart of the decree which will soon be issued by the beast of Revelation thirteen against the followers of God. It will find a people situated as were the Jews in Babylon; it will find others who have withdrawn from Babylon, and as the enemy rushes upon this latter class to slay them, the swords will fall like broken straws, for the angels of God will fight for his people. SDP 175.2 This record, given in the book of Esther, is preserved in Bible history that men may know the future. God’s dealings with the Jews reveal the principles of his government, and in this history is a graphic description of the sins and deliverance of spiritual Israel. SDP 175.3 From this story we may learn - Time waits for neither man nor nation. APPENDIX Xerxes was a cruel, arrogant man, and his character is shown not only in his dealing with the Hebrew race, but with other peoples as well. Not content with the extent of territory under his control, he mustered an immense army-over five million, historians like Herodotus state-in attempts to subdue Greece. Defeat and disaster accompanied the effort, however, and he returned unto his own kingdom. SDP 176.1 The Spirit of God was not yet withdrawn from the Medo-Persian court, and although Xerxes is the last king mentioned in the vision which Daniel saw, yet God was still holding out mercy to the Israelites; and it was during the reign of Artaxerxes Longimanus, the successor of Xerxes that the final decree for the return of the Jews was issued. In like manner the grand jubilee will immediately follow Satan’s last effort to destroy the people of God. SDP 176.2 Daniel 6:14. Eighty years had passed since the decree of Cyrus-eighty years of forbearance; but even after the experience of the days of Esther and Xerxes there was little interest manifested in the rebuilding of Zion, and the company who went with Ezra was small compared with what it should have been. The condition in Jerusalem was discouraging, for there the Jews had intermarried with the Canaanites, bringing in iniquity and confusion. The Sabbath was desecrated, and the services of the Lord’s house were neglected. It was not until the twentieth year of Artaxerxes, after Ezra had labored for Israel thirteen years, that Nehemiah came from Babylon and stirred the people into activity. Then, and not till then, were the walls rebuilt. Even then it was fighting with one hand and building with the other, because of a multitude of enemies. It was only then that they began to pay tithe, and to cease from ordinary traffic on the Sabbath; it was then that they put away their heathen wives; but they did it only because threatened by God’s wrath. SDP 176.3 Truly Israel was stiffnecked and rebellious. A remnant was saved from Babylon, but it was only a remnant; and that remnant, after years of struggling and much halting, was as a brand snatched from the burning. SDP 177.1 Jerusalem, which might have been the glory of the earth, fell a prey to each succeeding kingdom. Daniel’s mind turned to the rising power of the kingdom of Grecia, and Gabriel next spoke of the mighty one who should rule with great dominion. Medo-Persia sank into a state of weakness, and the angel withdrew his sheltering wings; probation was passed for another nation. Ezekiel 21:25-27. It, too, had been numbered and found wanting; and its name is dropped by the inspired penman. SDP 177.2 The history of the Persian empire, until it passed its zenith, is the history of the decrees; and when that nation ceased to help forward the people upon whom God was still bestowing light, it is lost sight of by the divine historian. SDP 178.1

For Such a Time as This <a href="http://Adairsvillesda.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Adairsvillesda.org</a> February 9, 2019 The Bible and Historians like the Greek Historian Herodotus, and the Jewish Midrash give us details to one of the greatest stories ever told. A story about risk. A story about the power of a woman’s influence. A story about the power of one man’s courage. A story that warns of the dangers of restricting religious freedom and mingling church and state.... A story for such a time as this… Our story begins on the night of the overthrow of Babylon. King Belshazzar is having a party, everyone is drunk, and in fiery letters written on the wall everyone is terrified to hear from Daniel the prophet that the Kingdom of Babylon has been weighed in the balance…and will be overthrown. It has failed it’s calling, and it is the fault of the king who should have known better and not lowered himself to a drunken festival to the downfall of his empire. At the same time, the Medo-Persian army has diverted the river Euphrates and is marching under the wall to overthrow the metropolis of the greatest empire the world had known. Belshazzar the king is slain. Terror seizes everyone and all are running for their lives. Darius, the future king of this empire, and soon to be a friend of Daniel the prophet, sees something that catches his eye and……………………………………that’s the beginning of our story. Fast forward – where we pick up our story in Esther Chapter 1:1 Xerxes the Great <ul> <li>Ahasueras, also known as Xerxes – the Grandson of King Cyrus the Great – the son of King Darius – Ruled Media and Persia at its apex. -He becomes King. Xerxes began to be known as a ruthless, cruel, arrogant man. The multiple assassination attempts show that those closest to him didn’t respect him.</li> </ul> Verses 3-5 There was drinking of wine and reveling. It was similar to that last night in Babylon at Belshazzar’s feast with a thousand of his lords. Truly Medo-Persia was the daughter of Babylon. Esther 1:10, 11 - When the heart of the king was drunk with wine, he commanded ... to bring Vashti the queen before the king with the crown royal, to shew the people and the princes her beauty: for she was fair to look upon. Vashti Although the Talmudic rabbis never say explicitly that they read Esther 1:11 as Ahasuerus’ attempt to mock Vashti’s royalty, this may be inferred from the way the rabbinic reading of the command as meaning that Vashti should wear only the diadem (Midrash Abba Gurion 1): אמר ר’ אבא שלא יהיה עליה כלום אלא הכתר וערומה.	R. Abba said: “That she should appear with nothing on her but the crown, that is, naked.” According to the Midrash – The ancient Jewish commentary on the Hebrew Scriptures – Vashti was the daughter of King Belshazzar. Great granddaughter of Nebuchadnezzar. Taken captive by King Darius the night of the overthrow, he took pity on her and eventually had her marry his son – Xerxes/Ahasueras. Vashti’s name means (The Beautiful – The Best) She was known as a savvy politician. The idea is proposed that the ladies banquet held at the same time as Ahasueras/Xerxes festivities was a strategic political maneuver. With all of the noble wives of the empire present, she would have control of a key group of hostages in the event of a coup d’etat at the King’s feast. She had learned her lesson from her father Belshazzar’s feast. Harriet Beecher Stowe called Vashti's disobedience the "first stand for woman's rights. Elizabeth Cady Stanton wrote that Vashti "added new glory to [her] day and generation...by her disobedience; for 'Resistance to tyrants is obedience to God.'" Ellen White states - When this command came from the king, Vashti did not carry out his orders, because she knew that wine had been freely used, and that Ahasuerus was under the influence of the intoxicating liquor. For her husband's sake as well as her own, she decided not to leave her position at the head of the women of the court. She acted in harmony with a pure conscience. -CC 243. 37 The S.D.A. Bible Commentary 3:1139. CC 243.2 Xerxes commanded her to appear before his half-drunken company, wearing only her crown and she refused to be humiliated like that. The men around Xerxes argued this would set a terrible precedent. She hadn’t just wronged him but this would alter the state of society. It would be a power given to woman that would be to her injury (Manuscript 29, 1911) So Xerxes banished Queen Vashti (Esther 1:3). There is no queen in the empire…what now? Mordecai and Esther – Chapter 2 Hadassah was an orphan – of the royal line of Saul. Her parents had both died when she was a baby. She was raised by her cousin Mordecai as his own child. She was simple-hearted and unassuming, requiring little and demanding nothing. SDP 171.2 Mordecai called her Esther to hide her lineage – and at the age of 16 she went to the palace. Like Vashti, she is also known for her beauty. Xerxes marries Esther (Ishtar – goddess of love) (Esther 2:16), when he is 40. She is believed to be around 16. Soon after Esther is crowned queen, Mordecai gets intel of a plot to assassinate the king. He tells Esther and she relays this to the king. 13 years later Xerxes would finally be assassinated while on the throne. All seemed well in the kingdom…but a few years go by and then everything changes in just a few days. Haman and the Jews Haman, a wealthy influential politician and businessman becomes second in command in the government. He begins to hate Mordecai because Mordecai won’t bow down to him when he passes by. He finds out Mordecai is a Jew. So he gets a law passed in the government to discriminate and persecute people based on religious beliefs. He wants to rid the land of all of these Sabbath keepers. Esther 3:9 - If it please the king, issue a decree that they be destroyed, and I will give 10,000 large sacks of silver to the government administrators to be deposited in the royal treasury." Xerxes loved money and it’s that love of money that is the root of all evil… A death decree to destroy those who keep Sabbath and rid the land of them. Why? Because…haven’t you heard? They are troublers of the people! This is story about the danger of mingling of religion and state affairs. The remnant of Israel remained in a foreign land. But John on Patmos saw another moment of the remnant of Israel under attack and declared, in Revelation 12:17 - “The dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” For about forty years mercy had been extended to Israel, and that people had turned a deaf ear to all pleas to return home. Forty years has often been called the allotted time for a generation to settle its destiny either for or against the truth. Moses was forty years in the wilderness, unlearning the things of Egypt, and being taught in the things of God; Israel wandered forty years in the wilderness, when only eleven days were necessary to make the journey from the Red Sea to the border of Canaan; forty days Christ endured severe temptation as a figure of the time before the destruction of Jerusalem; forty years sealed the fate of the Reformation in Germany; and it was forty years from the preaching of the sealing message until the time of the loud cry. SDP 172.2 So Israel was given forty years in Babylon while angels held the winds of strife. At the end of that time Xerxes yielded to the suggestion of Haman, and issued a decree against that “certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces.” If appeals would no longer attract the attention of the Jews, God would in his mercy let persecution come, that they might be compelled to flee to his side for protection. But when persecution and hardship are approaching, the love of God is so great that he prepares the deliverer ahead of time. SDP 173.1 Esther. The intercessor Esther 3:13-15 says - Dispatches were sent by couriers to all the king’s provinces with the order to destroy, kill and annihilate all the Jews—young and old, women and children—on a single day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, and to plunder their goods.14 A copy of the text of the edict was to be issued as law in every province and made known to the people of every nationality so they would be ready for that day. 15 The couriers went out, spurred on by the king’s command, and the edict was issued in the citadel of Susa…. The city of Shushan/Susa was the first to hear the decree, and anxiety filled the hearts of the Jews. There was distress in every home. “The city of Shushan was perplexed.” On a set day every Jew in the kingdom was to be put to death by the sword; old, young, men, women, and little children, none were excluded. Lucifer was celebrating the thought that at last Israel was in his hand, and the cause of God should fall. “The king and Haman,” two of Satan’s servants, “sat down to drink.” SDP 173.3 Scarcely one year from the date of the decree and death would be their lot. There was seemingly no way of escape. Years before they might have gone up to Jerusalem, but now it was forever too late. SDP 174.1 For many years, all were free to go home but instead stayed in Babylon and in the cities of the empire. They failed to heed the warning of the prophets to “Come out of her my people.” Esther, in the king’s palace, was ignorant of the decree. She hears that Mordecai is in sackcloth mourning at the King’s gate. Chapter 4 Verse 4 - 14 The crucial moment had come to her. Should she, could she, be true to her God? 21 years old! "If God abhors one sin above another, of which His people are guilty, it is doing nothing in case of an emergency. Indifference and neutrality in a religious crisis is regarded of God as a grievous crime and equal to the very worst type of hostility against God." – Ellen White (3T 280) "There comes a time when silence is betrayal." "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." "In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends." – Martin Luther King Verse 15 - 17 Commenting on this moment – Ellen White writes “The angel of God had guarded Hadassah, and directed in her education. He had brought her to the kingdom “for such a time as this.” When there was no man to represent his cause, Jehovah used a woman, and she, a young woman –. Her very beauty was consecrated to the Lord, and he made use of that. God loves the young people, as the history of the Jews certifies.” SDP 173.2 Chapter 5 Esther goes in to the king. Finds Favor. Invites him to a feast with Haman. Haman goes home but sees Mordecai. Verse 11 – I have everything – but I’m miserable and filled with hate. That Night – Chapter 6 King can’t sleep. Haman can’t sleep. Chapter 6:5-10 God had prepared from afar for deliverance. The very act of kindness done years before by Mordecai wrought in the deliverance of his people. Who says there is no record kept of man’s acts, or that man performs any deed of kindness unprompted by heavenly beings? God not only used Esther to save his people; but he also used Mordecai. SDP 175.1 Banquet - Chapter 7 Verse 3 – 10 Chapter 8 - Onward And many of the people of the land became Jews; for the fear of the Jews fell upon them.” Esther 8:14, 17. PK 602.1 Angels that excel in strength had been commissioned by God to protect His people while they “stood for their lives.” Esther 9:2, 16. PK 602.2 Mordecai is us. Haman is Lucifer. Was next to the throne and will be replaced by you and I. Ellen White comments saying “Mordecai was promoted to the position of chief counselor of Xerxes; and a decree issued that on the day appointed for the slaughter of the Jews, every Jew should bear arms and defend himself against the Persians. …. Again God had defeated the schemes, not of men only, but of the archenemy. Truth triumphed in spite of the waywardness of his people. This decree of Ahasuerus, or Xerxes, is the counterpart of the decree which will soon be issued by the beast of Revelation thirteen against the followers of God. It will find a people situated as were the Jews in Babylon; it will find others who have withdrawn from Babylon, and as the enemy rushes upon this latter class to slay them, the swords will fall like broken straws, for the angels of God will fight for his people. SDP 175.2 This record, given in the book of Esther, is preserved in Bible history that men may know the future. God’s dealings with the Jews reveal the principles of his government, and in this history is a graphic description of the sins and deliverance of spiritual Israel. SDP 175.3 From this story we may learn - Time waits for neither man nor nation. APPENDIX Xerxes was a cruel, arrogant man, and his character is shown not only in his dealing with the Hebrew race, but with other peoples as well. Not content with the extent of territory under his control, he mustered an immense army-over five million, historians like Herodotus state-in attempts to subdue Greece. Defeat and disaster accompanied the effort, however, and he returned unto his own kingdom. SDP 176.1 The Spirit of God was not yet withdrawn from the Medo-Persian court, and although Xerxes is the last king mentioned in the vision which Daniel saw, yet God was still holding out mercy to the Israelites; and it was during the reign of Artaxerxes Longimanus, the successor of Xerxes that the final decree for the return of the Jews was issued. In like manner the grand jubilee will immediately follow Satan’s last effort to destroy the people of God. SDP 176.2 Daniel 6:14. Eighty years had passed since the decree of Cyrus-eighty years of forbearance; but even after the experience of the days of Esther and Xerxes there was little interest manifested in the rebuilding of Zion, and the company who went with Ezra was small compared with what it should have been. The condition in Jerusalem was discouraging, for there the Jews had intermarried with the Canaanites, bringing in iniquity and confusion. The Sabbath was desecrated, and the services of the Lord’s house were neglected. It was not until the twentieth year of Artaxerxes, after Ezra had labored for Israel thirteen years, that Nehemiah came from Babylon and stirred the people into activity. Then, and not till then, were the walls rebuilt. Even then it was fighting with one hand and building with the other, because of a multitude of enemies. It was only then that they began to pay tithe, and to cease from ordinary traffic on the Sabbath; it was then that they put away their heathen wives; but they did it only because threatened by God’s wrath. SDP 176.3 Truly Israel was stiffnecked and rebellious. A remnant was saved from Babylon, but it was only a remnant; and that remnant, after years of struggling and much halting, was as a brand snatched from the burning. SDP 177.1 Jerusalem, which might have been the glory of the earth, fell a prey to each succeeding kingdom. Daniel’s mind turned to the rising power of the kingdom of Grecia, and Gabriel next spoke of the mighty one who should rule with great dominion. Medo-Persia sank into a state of weakness, and the angel withdrew his sheltering wings; probation was passed for another nation. Ezekiel 21:25-27. It, too, had been numbered and found wanting; and its name is dropped by the inspired penman. SDP 177.2 The history of the Persian empire, until it passed its zenith, is the history of the decrees; and when that nation ceased to help forward the people upon whom God was still bestowing light, it is lost sight of by the divine historian. SDP 178.1

For Such a Time as This // Jared Thurmon

Kobe, Saul and Talking to the DeadWith the recent passing of Kobe and Gianna Bryant, many media outlets began to discuss the idea of the fragility of life and how Kobe and Gianna are in a better place. What does the Bible say about where we go when we die? Can we communicate with the living if we are dead? Seances, conjuring and possession have fascinated us for centuries, but what is really going on? How about dreams? Can the dead talk to us in our dreams and is it real or fake? News story about resurrection of Kobe and Gianna for money: https://adventinformer.org/en/news/ghanaian-prophet-claims-he-can-resurrect-kobe-bryant-and-gianna-for-10-to-the-deceased-total-wealth-as-tithe/Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seventh-day-adventist-church-of-adairsville/id1440553159Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/62bPX2F27W2ru285tCZiGCYoutube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPtXrko_a1HNUtBJAgx6qEAWeb - https://www.adairsvillesda.org/messages

Kobe, Saul and Talking to the Dead With the recent passing of Kobe and Gianna Bryant, many media outlets began to discuss the idea of the fragility of life and how Kobe and Gianna are in a better place. What does the Bible say about where we go when we die? Can we communicate with the living if we are dead? Seances, conjuring and possession have fascinated us for centuries, but what is really going on? How about dreams? Can the dead talk to us in our dreams and is it real or fake? News story about resurrection of Kobe and Gianna for money: <a href="https://adventinformer.org/en/news/ghanaian-prophet-claims-he-can-resurrect-kobe-bryant-and-gianna-for-10-to-the-deceased-total-wealth-as-tithe/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://adventinformer.org/en/news/ghanaian-prophet-claims-he-can-resurrect-kobe-bryant-and-gianna-for-10-to-the-deceased-total-wealth-as-tithe/</a> Apple Podcasts - <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seventh-day-adventist-church-of-adairsville/id1440553159" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seventh-day-adventist-church-of-adairsville/id1440553159</a> Spotify - <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/62bPX2F27W2ru285tCZiGC" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://open.spotify.com/show/62bPX2F27W2ru285tCZiGC</a> Youtube - <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPtXrko_a1HNUtBJAgx6qEA" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPtXrko_a1HNUtBJAgx6qEA</a> Web - <a href="https://www.adairsvillesda.org/messages" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.adairsvillesda.org/messages</a>

Kobe, Saul and Talking to the Dead

There may be no greater yearning in the world than for friendship. Why though in an age where we have hundreds of 'online' friends does it seem like we have fewer and fewer real life friends? The story of David and Jonathan reveals the true secret to friendship. Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seventh-day-adventist-church-of-adairsville/id1440553159Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/62bPX2F27W2ru285tCZiGCYoutube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPtXrko_a1HNUtBJAgx6qEAWeb - https://www.adairsvillesda.org/messages

There may be no greater yearning in the world than for friendship. Why though in an age where we have hundreds of 'online' friends does it seem like we have fewer and fewer real life friends? The story of David and Jonathan reveals the true secret to friendship. Apple Podcasts - <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seventh-day-adventist-church-of-adairsville/id1440553159" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seventh-day-adventist-church-of-adairsville/id1440553159</a> Spotify - <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/62bPX2F27W2ru285tCZiGC" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://open.spotify.com/show/62bPX2F27W2ru285tCZiGC</a> Youtube - <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPtXrko_a1HNUtBJAgx6qEA" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPtXrko_a1HNUtBJAgx6qEA</a> Web - <a href="https://www.adairsvillesda.org/messages" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.adairsvillesda.org/messages</a>

Friends - How to Be One and Have One

A few miles beyond the Jordan river, just opposite the place where the Israelites were encamped, was the large and strongly fortified city of Jericho. This city was the key to the whole country… Joshua sent two young men as spies to visit this city and learn about the population, its resources, and the strength of its fortifications. Years earlier Joshua himself had seen the land where according to Duet 9:1 ‘it had great cities with walls fenced up to heaven’ Jericho was a city devoted to the most extravagant idolatry and selfishness. They worshipped the demon goddess of the moon - Ashtoreth. She was the goddess of fertility, sexuality and war. But in the city there was a prostitute who as a child had heard of the plagues in Egypt and the parting of the Red Sea. Now it was her turn to exercise faith. But does God bless deception? What really caused the walls of the city to fall down? There is more going on behind the scenes in this story than we may have realized.

A few miles beyond the Jordan river, just opposite the place where the Israelites were encamped, was the large and strongly fortified city of Jericho. This city was the key to the whole country… Joshua sent two young men as spies to visit this city and learn about the population, its resources, and the strength of its fortifications. Years earlier Joshua himself had seen the land where according to Duet 9:1 ‘it had great cities with walls fenced up to heaven’ Jericho was a city devoted to the most extravagant idolatry and selfishness. They worshipped the demon goddess of the moon - Ashtoreth. She was the goddess of fertility, sexuality and war. But in the city there was a prostitute who as a child had heard of the plagues in Egypt and the parting of the Red Sea. Now it was her turn to exercise faith. But does God bless deception? What really caused the walls of the city to fall down? There is more going on behind the scenes in this story than we may have realized.

Rahab and the Fall of Jericho // Jared Thurmon

Abraham is looking for a wife for his son Isaac. But he knows the one key to happiness in a home - Kindness. The story of Rebekah has plenty to teach us today about this trait that we all crave to experience. Present the truth as it is in Jesus. Let the tones of your voice express the love of God. Lead, but never drive. Approach the most obstinate in a spirit of kindness and affection. Dip your words into the oil of grace, and let them flow forth from your lips in love (Letter 105, 1893). Those whom Christ commends in the judgment may have known little of theology, but they have cherished His principles. Through the influence of the divine Spirit they have been a blessing to those about them. Even among the heathen are those who have cherished the spirit of kindness; … …Though ignorant of the written law of God, the heathen have heard His voice speaking to them in nature, and have done the things that the law required. Their works are evidence that the Holy Spirit has touched their hearts, and they are recognized as the children of God. DA 638

Abraham is looking for a wife for his son Isaac. But he knows the one key to happiness in a home - Kindness. The story of Rebekah has plenty to teach us today about this trait that we all crave to experience. Present the truth as it is in Jesus. Let the tones of your voice express the love of God. Lead, but never drive. Approach the most obstinate in a spirit of kindness and affection. Dip your words into the oil of grace, and let them flow forth from your lips in love (Letter 105, 1893). Those whom Christ commends in the judgment may have known little of theology, but they have cherished His principles. Through the influence of the divine Spirit they have been a blessing to those about them. Even among the heathen are those who have cherished the spirit of kindness; … …Though ignorant of the written law of God, the heathen have heard His voice speaking to them in nature, and have done the things that the law required. Their works are evidence that the Holy Spirit has touched their hearts, and they are recognized as the children of God. DA 638

Rebekah and the Power of Kindness

Does the spiritual walk cost you anything? Does it cost God anything? The answer is yes and yes. How important is giving money to others in our walk with God? Could it be that an ancient system of benevolence was the key ingredient to ensuring we don’t lose our way? In this message, we talk about the influence of God on your money and why money is such an indicator of the heart. Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seventh-day-adventist-church-of-adairsville/id1440553159Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/62bPX2F27W2ru285tCZiGCYoutube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPtXrko_a1HNUtBJAgx6qEAWeb - https://www.adairsvillesda.org/messages

Does the spiritual walk cost you anything? Does it cost God anything? The answer is yes and yes. How important is giving money to others in our walk with God? Could it be that an ancient system of benevolence was the key ingredient to ensuring we don’t lose our way? In this message, we talk about the influence of God on your money and why money is such an indicator of the heart. Apple Podcasts - <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seventh-day-adventist-church-of-adairsville/id1440553159" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seventh-day-adventist-church-of-adairsville/id1440553159</a> Spotify - <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/62bPX2F27W2ru285tCZiGC" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://open.spotify.com/show/62bPX2F27W2ru285tCZiGC</a> Youtube - <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPtXrko_a1HNUtBJAgx6qEA" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPtXrko_a1HNUtBJAgx6qEA</a> Web - <a href="https://www.adairsvillesda.org/messages" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.adairsvillesda.org/messages</a>

God + Money // Jared Thurmon

Justin Moore

Today countless households grow up without a father. What are the real lifelong effects of this? Does our influence with our father on earth affect how we view our Father in heaven? In this sermon you'll hear the latest research on the importance of fathers in the home as well as ways to view God in a totally new way.

A Father's Love // Justin Moore

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The best podcast episodes on parenting. Interviewing experts and talking through common issues surrounding parenting. This topic is filled with important lessons and insights for anyone listening. Add episodes you're interested into your queue below!