So here’s the greatest cause for Christmas joy—not that you deck your house with hundreds of lights or fill your home with dozens of gifts—but that the Lord of heaven and earth entered into the commonness of our lives to be our Saviour from sin and self-absorption.

He’s the reason why at every Christmas a song rises from millions of redeemed men and women to mingle with the anthem of those long-ago angels—a hymn of gratitude and grace.

We discover that life can be something better than a mean little existence between the cradle and the grave. We learn that our day-to-day experience can be full of joy and possibilities, of hope and healing. The glow that began in the midnight fields near Bethlehem has become a radiance none can extinguish: “In Him was life, and the life was the light of all people” (John 1:4).

The gift given us in Jesus is why we search each Christmas for the words of that angel hymn: “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, good will toward all.”

Gratitude is just another way of saying “Thanks” for grace.

So stay in grace. -Bill Knott

Lessons of Faith From Joshua — Choose This Day! — Free to Serve

Join us as we study the Bible Study Guide for the fourth quarter of 2025 called Lessons of Faith From Joshua. We are studying the lesson for week 13 called Choose This Day!.    

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This sermon reminds us that God’s people can confidently say “Hitherto hath the Lord helped us.” Drawing from 1 Samuel 7:12, Pastor Denzil Fourie calls believers to look back with gratitude at God’s faithfulness, live in repentance and obedience today, and move forward with hope—knowing that the same God who helped us in the past will lead us into the future.

Pastor Isaac Solomon, the Ministerial and Family Life Ministries Director at the Southern African Union Conference, shared a short message with the congregants as part of the Annual Christmas Service at Bellville SDA Church.

How can we develop habits that lead to Christlike character? In this video, we explore the vital connection between habit formation, vows, and the fruit of the Spirit—especially self-control.

Based on biblical principles and insights from Ellen G. White, this message explains how habits shape our character, how to break harmful patterns, and how to cultivate new ones under the influence of the Holy Spirit.

Topics covered include:

• The spiritual foundation of habit formation (Galatians 5:22–23)
• Repetition: the key to forming habits
• The role of self-denial and overcoming the flesh (Romans 8, Psalm 51)
• What it means to be sensual and led by feelings (Jude 19)
• How to receive a new mind and life in Christ (Galatians 2:20)
• Why vows and spiritual commitments matter
• How self-control is developed and strengthened
• Insights from the Spirit of Prophecy for God’s end-time people
• How habits are formed and destroyed—both spiritually and neurologically

Featuring quotes like:

“Character is the sum total of habits, formed by repeated acts.” — Child Guidance, p. 164

“By the repetition of acts, habits are established; and character is determined by the habits.” — Messages to Young People, p. 142

Discover how the Holy Spirit can help you build a consistent spiritual life, form godly habits, and live a victorious Christian life.

Originally presented to 350 pastors during the “Set Apart” Ministerial Convention of the Trans-Pacific Union Mission in Nadi, Fiji – February 12–16, 2024.

This is the third message in the series “The Power of Vows and Commitments,” which explores all items on the Stewardship Commitment Card.

Download the Commitment Card in multiple languages here:

stewardship.adventist.org/commitment-card-promise

Learn how to use the Stewardship Commitment Card (courtesy of the South Pacific Division):

https://stewardship.adventist.org/how-to-use-the-iproimse-commitment-cards

Discover more about Promise Offerings:

https://stewardship.adventist.org/promise-(regular-and-systematic-offerings)

More about vows here: https://stewardship.adventist.org/vows-and-pledges-resources

My notes:

• The Importance of Vows and Habit Formation:
• How to develop habits.
• Habit formation - habits are formed by repeating actions, which require self-control (temperance). Self-control is part of the fruit of

Free to Serve

As a true and faithful leader, Joshua respects the free will of his people and wishes that Israel would serve the Lord out of free choice rather than compulsion. That was exactly the point made by the deliberate use of the verb “chosen” (see Josh. 24:22). In other passages baḥar, “to choose,” describes Yahweh’s election of Israel (Deut. 7:6-7; Deut. 10:15; Deut. 14:2). Israel is free to say “no” to Yahweh after their divine election, but that would be nonsensical and absurd. Israel can say “yes” to God and continue to live, or they can turn their backs on Him and cease to exist.

What was Israel’s response to Joshua’s appeal? (Josh. 24:16-18). Why do you think Joshua reacted to their answer in the way he did? (Josh. 24:19-21).

In their categorically positive answer, the Israelites recognize that the God of the patriarchs and of their fathers is now also “our God” (Josh. 24:17-18, NKJV), whom they are willing to serve with undivided allegiance. After such an unquestionable affirmation of their loyalty, we would expect words of affirmation and encouragement from Joshua. However, this is not the case. The dialogue between Joshua and the people takes a radical turn in which Joshua seems to play the role of the devil’s advocate. He shifts from speaking about God’s gracious providence in the past to threatening the Israelites with a picture of a God who is not easy to serve.

Joshua knows the instability of the first generation, who promised to obey God in similar terms (Exod. 19:8, Exod. 24:3, Deut. 5:27), yet who forgot their promises while the words were still on their lips (Exodus 32). Thus, Joshua, by means of rhetoric, wants to make the Israelites aware of several things. First, the decision to serve God is a serious one. It will have to shape the entire nation according to God’s revelation. The blessings of pursuing that goal are evident, but the consequences of disobedience must also be fully understood. Forgiveness of sins is not an unalienable right of humanity but a miracle of God’s grace.

Second, the decision of the Israelites to serve God must be their own decision, not something imposed by a leader, even Joshua.

Third, Israel must realize that humans cannot serve God in their own strength. Serving God is not achieved by a mechanical adherence to the stipulations of the covenant but by a personal relationship with the saving Lord (compare with Exod. 20:1-2; Deut. 5:6-7).

1 Samuel 13:1-15. King Saul challenges Israel’s biggest enemy…the Philistines.  

King Saul’s first big test against the Philistines reveals a dangerous crack in his character when fear and pressure push him to disobey God. As Saul panics and takes matters into his own hands, Samuel delivers a sobering message: God has already chosen someone else to be king—someone after His own heart.  

Video interview at It Is Written Canada: https://bit.ly/44Cs83v  

Website: https://www.papasbiblestories.com