Podcast

['“And he said, ‘Lord God, how shall I know that I will inherit it?’\n“So He said to him, ‘Bring Me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.’\nThen he brought all these to Him and cut them in two, down the middle, and placed each piece opposite the other; but he did not cut the birds in two. And when the vultures came down on the car-casses, Abram drove them away.\n“Now when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, horror and great darkness fell upon him….\n“And it came to pass, when the sun went down and it was dark, that behold, there appeared a smoking oven and a burning torch that passed between those pieces.”\n- Genesis 15:8-17 (NKJV)', '“And he said, ‘Lord God, how shall I know that I will inherit it?’\n“So He said to him, ‘Bring Me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.’\nThen he brought all these to Him and cut them in two, down the middle, and placed each piece opposite the other; but he did not cut the birds in two. And when the vultures came down on the car-casses, Abram drove them away.\n“Now when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, horror and great darkness fell upon him….\n“And it came to pass, when the sun went down and it was dark, that behold, there appeared a smoking oven and a burning torch that passed between those pieces.”\n- Genesis 15:8-17 (NKJV)']

['“Relying on God has to begin all over again every day as if nothing\nhad yet been done.”\n- C.S. Lewis, Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer', '“Relying on God has to begin all over again every day as if nothing\nhad yet been done.”\n- C.S. Lewis, Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer']

['“The Christian’s faith in something that cannot be seen is a source of\nwonder to the unbeliever, and is often the object of ridicule and contempt.\nThe worldling regards the simple faith of the Christian as an evidence\nof weakness of mind, and with a complacent smile at the thought\nof the superiority of his own intellect, he declares that he never believes\na thing without evidence; he never jumps at conclusions, and doesn’t\nbelieve anything that he cannot see and understand...\nAs a matter of fact, faith is one of the commonest things. There is no\nskeptic who does not have faith to a greater or less degree; and in very\nmany cases they go even farther, and manifest simple credulity. But the\nelement of faith underlies all business transactions, and all the affairs of\nlife. Two men make an appointment to meet at a certain time and place,\nto transact certain business; each has to trust the other’s word. The merchant\nhas to exercise faith in his employees and his customers. Yea,\nmore, he has to, unconsciously it may be, exercise faith in God; for he\nwill send his ships across the ocean, with confidence that they will return\nagain loaded with merchandise, and yet he must know that their\nsafe return depends on the winds and the waves, which are beyond human\ncontrol. And even though he never once thinks of the power that\ncontrols the elements, he puts confidence in the officers and crew...\nWell, the Christian has a thousand-fold more ground for his faith in the\npromises of God. Faith is not blind credulity. Says the apostle: ‘Now\nfaith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence [ground, or confidence]\nof things not seen.’ Hebrews 11:1. This is an inspired definition,\nand therefore we may conclude that the Lord does not expect us to\nexercise faith except on evidence. Now it can readily be shown that the\nChristian has the same ground for exercising faith in God, that the skeptic\nhas for his confidence in the railroad and telegraph companies, or in\nthe government; and a great deal more.”\n- The Full Assurance of Faith, Ellen White', '“The Christian’s faith in something that cannot be seen is a source of\nwonder to the unbeliever, and is often the object of ridicule and contempt.\nThe worldling regards the simple faith of the Christian as an evidence\nof weakness of mind, and with a complacent smile at the thought\nof the superiority of his own intellect, he declares that he never believes\na thing without evidence; he never jumps at conclusions, and doesn’t\nbelieve anything that he cannot see and understand...\nAs a matter of fact, faith is one of the commonest things. There is no\nskeptic who does not have faith to a greater or less degree; and in very\nmany cases they go even farther, and manifest simple credulity. But the\nelement of faith underlies all business transactions, and all the affairs of\nlife. Two men make an appointment to meet at a certain time and place,\nto transact certain business; each has to trust the other’s word. The merchant\nhas to exercise faith in his employees and his customers. Yea,\nmore, he has to, unconsciously it may be, exercise faith in God; for he\nwill send his ships across the ocean, with confidence that they will return\nagain loaded with merchandise, and yet he must know that their\nsafe return depends on the winds and the waves, which are beyond human\ncontrol. And even though he never once thinks of the power that\ncontrols the elements, he puts confidence in the officers and crew...\nWell, the Christian has a thousand-fold more ground for his faith in the\npromises of God. Faith is not blind credulity. Says the apostle: ‘Now\nfaith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence [ground, or confidence]\nof things not seen.’ Hebrews 11:1. This is an inspired definition,\nand therefore we may conclude that the Lord does not expect us to\nexercise faith except on evidence. Now it can readily be shown that the\nChristian has the same ground for exercising faith in God, that the skeptic\nhas for his confidence in the railroad and telegraph companies, or in\nthe government; and a great deal more.”\n- The Full Assurance of Faith, Ellen White']

['“Although the battle-field (a valley) must have been unfavorable for\nhandling so unwieldy a mass of soldiers and for deploying their\nwar-chariots, yet the host of Egypt was nearly double that of Asa,\nand must have included well-disciplined and long-trained battalions.\nBut, on the other hand, never before had a battle been fought in the\nsame manner; never had there been more distinct negation of things\nseen and affirmation of things unseen—which constitutes the essence\nof faith—nor yet more trustful application of it than in Asa’s\nprayer before the battle,\n‘Is it not with Thee to help between the much (the mighty) relatively\nto no strength (in regard to the weak)? Help us, Jehovah our God,\nfor upon Thee do we put our trust; and in Thy name have we come\n(do we come) upon this multitude. O Jehovah, Thou art our God\n(the God of power, Elohim): let not man retain strength by the side\nof Thee (have power before Thee)!’\nSuch an appeal could not be in vain. In the significant language of\nHoly Scripture, it was ‘Jehovah’ Who ‘smote’ the Ethiopians, and\n‘Asa and the people that were with him’ only ‘pursued them.’ Far\naway to Gerar, three hours southeast from the border city, Gaza,\ncontinued the chase amidst unnumbered slain, and still the destroying\nsword of Jehovah was before His host (2 Chronicles 14:13), and\nHis fear fell upon all the cities round about…\nHenceforth Egypt ceased to be a source of terror or of danger, and\nfull 330 years passed before its army was again arrayed against Judah.”\n- Bible History Old Testament, vol. 5, pgs. 149-150', '“Although the battle-field (a valley) must have been unfavorable for\nhandling so unwieldy a mass of soldiers and for deploying their\nwar-chariots, yet the host of Egypt was nearly double that of Asa,\nand must have included well-disciplined and long-trained battalions.\nBut, on the other hand, never before had a battle been fought in the\nsame manner; never had there been more distinct negation of things\nseen and affirmation of things unseen—which constitutes the essence\nof faith—nor yet more trustful application of it than in Asa’s\nprayer before the battle,\n‘Is it not with Thee to help between the much (the mighty) relatively\nto no strength (in regard to the weak)? Help us, Jehovah our God,\nfor upon Thee do we put our trust; and in Thy name have we come\n(do we come) upon this multitude. O Jehovah, Thou art our God\n(the God of power, Elohim): let not man retain strength by the side\nof Thee (have power before Thee)!’\nSuch an appeal could not be in vain. In the significant language of\nHoly Scripture, it was ‘Jehovah’ Who ‘smote’ the Ethiopians, and\n‘Asa and the people that were with him’ only ‘pursued them.’ Far\naway to Gerar, three hours southeast from the border city, Gaza,\ncontinued the chase amidst unnumbered slain, and still the destroying\nsword of Jehovah was before His host (2 Chronicles 14:13), and\nHis fear fell upon all the cities round about…\nHenceforth Egypt ceased to be a source of terror or of danger, and\nfull 330 years passed before its army was again arrayed against Judah.”\n- Bible History Old Testament, vol. 5, pgs. 149-150']

['“Balance of Differing Minds Necessary.--Here we are brought\ntogether--of different minds, different education, and different\ntraining--and we do not expect that every mind will run right in the\nsame channel; but the question is, Are we, the several branches,\ngrafted into the parent Vine? That is what we want to inquire, and\nwe want to ask teachers as well as students. We want to understand\nwhether we are really grafted into the parent Vine.\nIf we are, we may have different manners, different tones, and different\nvoices. You may view things from one standpoint, and we\nhave ideas different from one another in regard to the Scriptures,\nnot in opposition to the Scriptures, but our ideas may vary. My\nmind may run in the lines most familiar to it, and another may be\nthinking and taking a view according to his traits of character, and\nsee a very deep interest in one side of it that others do not see. We\nare to unite together to bring God’s light into the world, every one\nadding his jot or tittle in Christ’s lines.”\n- 1 Mind, Character, Personality, pg. 53', '“Balance of Differing Minds Necessary.--Here we are brought\ntogether--of different minds, different education, and different\ntraining--and we do not expect that every mind will run right in the\nsame channel; but the question is, Are we, the several branches,\ngrafted into the parent Vine? That is what we want to inquire, and\nwe want to ask teachers as well as students. We want to understand\nwhether we are really grafted into the parent Vine.\nIf we are, we may have different manners, different tones, and different\nvoices. You may view things from one standpoint, and we\nhave ideas different from one another in regard to the Scriptures,\nnot in opposition to the Scriptures, but our ideas may vary. My\nmind may run in the lines most familiar to it, and another may be\nthinking and taking a view according to his traits of character, and\nsee a very deep interest in one side of it that others do not see. We\nare to unite together to bring God’s light into the world, every one\nadding his jot or tittle in Christ’s lines.”\n- 1 Mind, Character, Personality, pg. 53']

["“I pray because I can't help myself. I pray because I'm helpless. I\npray because the need flows out of me all the time, waking and\nsleeping. It doesn't change God. It changes me.”\n- C.S. Lewis", "“I pray because I can't help myself. I pray because I'm helpless. I\npray because the need flows out of me all the time, waking and\nsleeping. It doesn't change God. It changes me.”\n- C.S. Lewis"]

["“The Bible is of the highest value because it is the word of the living\nGod. Of all the books in the world it is the most deserving of\nstudy and attention, for it is eternal wisdom...The Bible is a field\nwhere are concealed heavenly treasures, and they will remain hidden\nuntil, by diligent mining, they are discovered and brought to\nlight. The Bible is a casket containing jewels of inestimable value,\nwhich should be so presented as to be seen in their intrinsic luster.\nBut the beauty and excellence of these diamonds of truth are not\ndiscerned by the natural eye. The lovely things of the material\nworld are not seen until the sun, dispelling the darkness, floods\nthem with its light. And so with the treasures of God's word; they\nare not appreciated until they are revealed by the Sun of Righteousness.”\nWritten May 16, 1896 and published in Counsels to\nParents, Teachers, and Students, pp. 421, 422.", "“The Bible is of the highest value because it is the word of the living\nGod. Of all the books in the world it is the most deserving of\nstudy and attention, for it is eternal wisdom...The Bible is a field\nwhere are concealed heavenly treasures, and they will remain hidden\nuntil, by diligent mining, they are discovered and brought to\nlight. The Bible is a casket containing jewels of inestimable value,\nwhich should be so presented as to be seen in their intrinsic luster.\nBut the beauty and excellence of these diamonds of truth are not\ndiscerned by the natural eye. The lovely things of the material\nworld are not seen until the sun, dispelling the darkness, floods\nthem with its light. And so with the treasures of God's word; they\nare not appreciated until they are revealed by the Sun of Righteousness.”\nWritten May 16, 1896 and published in Counsels to\nParents, Teachers, and Students, pp. 421, 422."]

['"There is nothing that Satan fears so much as that the people of\nGod shall clear the way by removing every hindrance, so that the\nLord can pour out His Spirit upon a languishing church and an impenitent\ncongregation."\n- 1Selected Messages, pg.124', '"There is nothing that Satan fears so much as that the people of\nGod shall clear the way by removing every hindrance, so that the\nLord can pour out His Spirit upon a languishing church and an impenitent\ncongregation."\n- 1Selected Messages, pg.124']

["Only as Christ followers are ‘in us’ (i.e., with the Father and Son) can they truly ‘be one’ among themselves (John 17: 21). In other words, the horizontal unity (among Christ’s followers) must be grounded in a vertical unity (which is oneness with Christ). We seek unity on this basis so that ‘the world may believe that thou hast sent me’ (verse 21). Jesus declares, ‘I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me’ (verse 23).\nIn other words, a visible unity results when Christ's followers are in harmony with the apostles and with the Father and Son. This unity is readily evident to the world. It convinces the world of the truthfulness of the Christian message.”\n- - True Unity and Counterfeit Unity,\nAmazing Discoveries, June 26, 2009", "Only as Christ followers are ‘in us’ (i.e., with the Father and Son) can they truly ‘be one’ among themselves (John 17: 21). In other words, the horizontal unity (among Christ’s followers) must be grounded in a vertical unity (which is oneness with Christ). We seek unity on this basis so that ‘the world may believe that thou hast sent me’ (verse 21). Jesus declares, ‘I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me’ (verse 23).\nIn other words, a visible unity results when Christ's followers are in harmony with the apostles and with the Father and Son. This unity is readily evident to the world. It convinces the world of the truthfulness of the Christian message.”\n- - True Unity and Counterfeit Unity,\nAmazing Discoveries, June 26, 2009"]

["“The last rays of merciful light, the last message of mercy to be\ngiven to the world, is a revelation of His character of love. The\nchildren of God are to manifest His glory. In their own life and\ncharacter they are to reveal what the grace of God has done for\nthem.\nThe light of the Sun of Righteousness is to shine forth in good\nworks—in words of truth and deeds of holiness.\nChrist, the outshining of the Father's glory, came to the world as its\nlight. He came to represent God to men, and of Him it is written\nthat He was anointed ‘with the Holy Ghost and with power,’ and\n‘went about doing good.’ Acts 10:38.”\n- Christ’s Object Lessons, pgs. 415-417", "“The last rays of merciful light, the last message of mercy to be\ngiven to the world, is a revelation of His character of love. The\nchildren of God are to manifest His glory. In their own life and\ncharacter they are to reveal what the grace of God has done for\nthem.\nThe light of the Sun of Righteousness is to shine forth in good\nworks—in words of truth and deeds of holiness.\nChrist, the outshining of the Father's glory, came to the world as its\nlight. He came to represent God to men, and of Him it is written\nthat He was anointed ‘with the Holy Ghost and with power,’ and\n‘went about doing good.’ Acts 10:38.”\n- Christ’s Object Lessons, pgs. 415-417"]