Further Thought: “The heart of God yearns over His earthly chil-

dren with a love stronger than death. In giving up His Son, He has poured

out to us all heaven in one gift. The Saviour’s life and death and interces-

sion, the ministry of angels, the pleading of the Spirit, the Father working

above and through all, the unceasing interest of heavenly beings,—all

are enlisted in behalf of man’s redemption.”—Ellen G. White, Steps to

Christ, p. 21.

“If you have renounced self and given yourself to Christ you are a

member of the family of God, and everything in the Father’s house is

for you. All the treasures of God are opened to you, both the world that

now is and that which is to come. The ministry of angels, the gift of

His Spirit, the labors of His servants—all are for you. The world, with

everything in it, is yours so far as it can do you good.”—Ellen G. White,

Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, p. 110.

Discussion Questions:

Ê With all of these awesome gifts that God gives His children, we

are compelled to ask, as did the psalmist, “What shall I render to the

L ord for all His benefits toward me?” (Ps. 116:12, NKJV). Make a list

of the blessings and gifts of God to you in your spiritual and temporal

life, and be ready to share it with your class. What does this teach you

about how thankful to God you really should be?

Ë Though we think about God, and rightly so, as our Creator,

Scripture again and again teaches that He is our Sustainer, as well.

(See Heb. 1:3; Job 38:33–37; Ps. 135:6, 7; Col. 1:17; Acts 17:28; 2 Pet.

3:7.) From the galaxies in the cosmos to the beating of our hearts,

to the forces that hold together the atomic structures that make up

all known matter, it is only God’s sustaining power that keeps them

in existence. How should this biblical truth help us understand just

what our obligations are to God, in terms of how we use whatever

He has given us? How does this reality help us keep our life and the

purpose of our life in proper perspective?

Ì The lesson talked about why, of all God has given us, Jesus and

the plan of salvation are the greatest gifts. Why is that true? What

would we have if we didn’t have that and the great hope it offers

us? An atheist writer depicted humans as nothing but “hunks of

spoiling flesh on disintegrating bones.” Why, without the gift of the

gospel, would he have a point?