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I am in my 80's and in reasonably good health. My brain is still active, even if it is somewhat diminished. I have reasonably good physical health. However, I am having problems with my vision. I receive regular eye injections, which were not on my list of things that I wanted do in life. I am aware that my published posts may contain typos that I have not seen. I work on it, but I have not resolved the issue. I have decided that I will not let that stop me from posting. God does not require perfection. If there is anything of value in my posts, God will use them despite my imperfections. Gregory Matthews

David–Eulogy R: ‘090624b David Milton Matthews began life in 1972. His Father, Gregory was a Seventh-day Adventist congregational pastor, and his mother, Sharon, would later become a Licensed California Marriage and Family Therapist. His middle name honored his maternal Grandfather who spent his life working for the California Department of Corrections, as a Correctional Officer. At birth, David joined his older brother, Gregory # 4. As was typical for the denomination of his parents, David moved several times in Virginia during his early years as his Father began to pastor larger congregations. A major change in David’s life came as his Father moved from congregational ministry to becoming a full-time U. S. Army Chaplain. That change resulted in a move to Ft. Ord, in Central California. This resulted in the family living near maternal relatives in the Sacramento area and other relatives living in the Modesto area. That was a positive change which was enjoyed by all. While David was living at Ft. Ord, a major change came in his life. His parents decided to separate. His mother moved to Sacramento to be near her relatives and to begin graduate schooling. His Father continued on as an Army Chaplain. Both parents shared joint custody of David and his brother. Over the next years David traveled between locations in the United States, Asia and Panama as visits ranged from short periods of two weeks to longer periods of thirteen-months. After several years as a single parent, his Father married a woman, also named Sharon, who gave David and his brother freely of her love. Christopher later joined this family as David’s younger brother. It was characteristic of David for him to want to earn money. In one visit with his Father, David began working for the apartment manager on the first day of his visit. On another visit with his Father in New Jersey, he made the acquaintance of the son of a Colonel. One Halloween evening they went out to have some fun. It ended with the Military Police escorting him back to his Father with a full report of his fun activities, which had included smashing pumpkins sitting by people's front doors. Later in life David decided to follow in the footsteps of his maternal grandfather and he applied to the California Department of Corrections to train at the Academy. He was accepted in 1996, graduated and was assigned to The California State Prison, Sacramento, located in Folsom, California. He retired in 2022. In the year 2000, David married Denice, the love of his life. She brought a daughter, Tiffany, into the marriage. David came to deeply love her as a daughter. With the passage of time, Alayna was born, and David had two daughters whom he deeply loved. He felt good about the accomplishments that both daughters had made in their lives. In our society today, every family has stress points. David and Denice were united and met them together. As David, shortly before his death said to his Father, there is no daylight between Denice and I as to how to handle issues as they arise. As a Correctional Officer, David held high ethical standards. On one occasion he witnessed a prisoner being mistreated. It was investigated and David told the truth. Administrative and criminal convictions were obtained and the Governor of California awarded David the third highest Department of Corrections medal, for his cooperation in this matter. On another occasion, while driving to work, David noticed a fire in a nearby apartment building. He stopped, entered the building and began to awaken and evacuate the people living there. In 2017, the Department of Corrections awarded him the Gold Star, it’s second highest award, for heroic deeds under extraordinary circumstances in saving the lives of those people. David enjoyed frequent trips going exploring, camping and fishing with family, friends and cousin Jeff. In brief, David lived a full life of giving himself to others, and loving all of his family. He both loved and was loved. His life was cut short well before his time. He is deeply missed by the many who knew him.

Like bonnie1962 I can't fathom the heartache and pain either. My brain scampers for words to put together for you Pastor Matthews but I know anything I could say would fall infinitely short. Your Family and your Son will be in my wife and I's prayers.

Some of the old timers here, like me, can remember a time when their grandparents were alive. Mine lived with our family when I was about 6-10 years old for my mother's side, and from around 19-23 for my father's side. My mother's parents were amazing by today's standard. He was a former supervisor at GM, throughout the great depression. He taught me things and was very smart. His vocabulary was extensive. Using words I never heard of. He was born around 1890 I believe. He was alert right up to his death in his 80's. I never saw him drink or smoke. My fathers, father, was interested in baseball. Every week he would receive a small publication of the game from the previous weeks. He knew the statistics of every player. His children would test him, and he always had the answer. He knew the "at bats", RBI's, everything. On hundreds of players. This was in the 60's and 70's. This was before television. He lived to be 94. Smoked occasional cigars until in his eighty's. I never saw him drink. I don't remember any of them taking any medicine. There was no Alzheimer's then. But today, we have videos converted from film, of life in the 1960's and 1970's . There are not many candid interviews of ordinary people back then, but enough that we can understand the culture. Ordinary people from this time were smarter and more knowledgeable than people in their age group today. Few ordinary people went to college in the 60's and 70's . Yet they had a great understanding of social dynamic, life skills and very different values. People were thin back then. The people have changed so much in my lifetime. They have changed so much in the last 50 years. There is even a big change in the last 10 years.

* The word of God is always true. Sometime, it is partial and incomplete. In addition, we may not correctly understand it. * God used Ellen White in the development of the Seventh-day Adventist denomination. * God used Ellene White to urge people to turn to what we commonly call the Bible as the source of ultimate authority as to what God wanted us to know. * Ellen White, in her humanity was imperfect. Her spirituality grew, and changed, over the years of her life. She probably never fully understood what God was communicating to her. * It is clear to me that that modern Adventists of today, often misunderstand what she said, and often mis-use her writings. * Her writings were often sensitive to the time, culture and the circumstances of the person to whom she was writing. With that in mind, one cannot always apply what she said to one person in that same manner to someone today. None of this detracts from her leadership and the value of her ministry to us in our development.

Biden signed several bills to rename federal buildings. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) community clinic in Lynchburg, Va., will now be known as the Private First Class Desmond T. Doss VA Clinic. NOTE: For those who do not know, Doss was a Seventh-day Adventist conscientious objector medic during WW II, who was awarded the Medal of Honor. He has also been the subject of some movies, such as Hacksaw Ridge.

November 4, 2024 One aspect of David's personality was to play down the issues when he did something that was right. As I have stated, he was awarded the 2nd and 3rd highest medals from the Department of Corrections. He typically dismissed those as simply doing what was right. In regard to the evacuation of the burning building, he sometimes dismissed that by stating that people had left the building prior to his arrival. I will point out that the Department of Corrections would never award the 2nd and 3rd highest awards without fully investigating the incidents and discovering the truth. David told me that when he arrived, some people had already left the building. But, he then entered the burning building to discover others who may have been sleeping and needed to be wakened and evacuated. Yes, he did not do it all. In addition, another Correctional Officer also stopped and assisted in the evacuation of the burning building. That person also was recognized with an award. NOTE: A decision has been made to have services for David, by his wife, on February 2025, at a local SDA Church, but conducted by a pastor of the church that she attends. It is expected that the Department of Corrections will provide full honors.

SDA Video Services: Many SDA Congregations are providing video services for people unable to attend. One such is the Gracepoint SDA Church in Northern California. It uses "youtube" to host its services and it keeps its services available for about 6-months. It also broadcasts live each Saturday at 11:10 AM. To access its services, click on the link below. Then click on one of the following links: * Home: This i sthe home of the Gracepoint congregation. It contains links to videos and other information related to the congregation. * Video: This is the home of videos for the past six months. * Live: This is the location of a current live service. * Playlist: Videos are listed here that are not listed elsewhere. https://www.youtube.com/@GracepointAdventistChurch/streams NOTE: All people are welcome to view the videos. They are watched by people as far away as Iceland, as well as in other nations.

The Adventist church is growing very strong here in the Philippines. The Division head is here. There have been major changes in leadership in the last 5 years. We had a new div president who only lasted a couple of years before moving up to the GC. He made many changes in personnel. The new div president is focused on growth. He has promoted splitting Conferences in half. Some were over 40,000 members. He promoted splitting some unions. All of these splits have been very beneficial to grow and leadership.

Gustave: I have never heard a SDA suggest that the reason for Mary not to touch him was because He might not be worthy of worship, or that He was uncertain as to whether or not His sacrifice had been accepted by the Father. I will not suggest that there is a clear Biblical picture as to why Christ may have wanted to return to the Father at that time. All is probably speculative and your opinion is as likely to be correct is my opinion on that issue. In any case, in my thinking the 1st Advent was completed in those few days prior to the report in Acts 1, as Christ guided in the beginning of the organization and functioning of the Christian church. From this perspective, I see a 1sst advent that has occurred in the past, and a 2nd Advent that will occur in the future.

Question: What does it mean when the husband states that he will make all of the decisions? Answer #1: Well in our marriage I would point out “no dear, I will decide what divorce lawyer I hire to dump you.” Answer #2: I did know a woman whose husband said that and she said OK. she then did nothing. He wanted dinner he decides what it is and cooks it. She badgered him with questions constantly even calling him at work to ask. “What time should I take a shower” then calling back to ask “what soap should I use” then calling back to ask if she should shampoo her hair then it was what towel, the blue one or the green one. The moment he hit the door she was asking “should I sweep the kitchen?” “what are you going to buy for dinner” “what soap for the dishwasher” “ when should I clean the toilet,” She spent most of the day compiling decisions for him to make. After a week of making all the decisions he crawled down from his idiocy and literally begged her to make most of the decisions he really didn’t want her calling him at work during a meeting to ask if their daughters hair should be braided or not or if their son should wear his sandals or closed shoes. I think the final straw was when she called his office during the lunch hour and left a message with the receptionist saying she started her period should she use a pad or a tampon. The receptionist put it up on the message board open and almost everyone in the office got a peek and teased him about it. Thanks to Quora and Angela Birch for the above question and answer. 6

Sister Bertken was a devout Roman Catholic, born in 1457. The following article suggests that her life has something to contribute to us today. https://atoday.org/the-two-windows-of-sister-bertken/

The People of God: In the following article, Loren Seibold challenges us to think beyond what he calls the norms. https://atoday.org/gods-many-many-people/

Gustave: That is why I made my post telling all that it was a joke. I realized that some might not understand.

Surprised he lived this long.

Rachell, the various denominations are divided as to the nature of the bread that Christ used for the Last Supper. * I note that in one post you say: " I told you that "artos" is unleavened." and is a second post, you say: "Artos" is WITH leaven>" I assume that one is a typo. However, let us look at the actual definition of the Greek words. * Artos is the common bread of a family meal. It is considered by many scholars to always be leavened bread. Thiis word tells us that Christ celebrated the Passover with the common bread served at a family meal. * Azumos is a term that references unleavened bread. https://www.onthewing.org/user/BS_Last Supper - Unleavened Bread.pdf#:~:text=The Greek for what we read as "unleavened,and not on bread%2C e.g.%2C I Corinthians 5%3A8. Rachel, I do not know where you got your definitions of the Greek words. But, I will tell you: Never use either Strong or Young to define the meaning of a Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek Biblical word. They are used to tell us how such a word has been translated, which is quite different from telling us what that word means. For the Greek, your best source of the Greek is the so-called Arndt & Gingrich. Always use a lexicon.

Wow. I never thought about that. The way you expressed it is an eye opener. All of the Dispensationalists I have read on forums are elated that they will not have to pass through any tribulation.

Consider: As I followed up on a reference to a SDA leader, I noted that he had a nicely trimmed beard, cut to a short length. As I reflected on this, I realized that he was also bald. I wondered if there is any relationship between bald males who also like to demonstrate that they are able to grow facial hair?

Unfortunately, I do not believe we will be able to have an open discussion on this topic. Prior links to other websites regarding the actions of the Potomac conference have been deleted and apparently only acceptable politically correct websites (ie, those supporting the progressive agenda in the church) will be referred to. Spectrum, as usual, is engaged in another character assassination of someone who does not toe the progressive line. They are doing it to Bohr and have done it to others. This quote from the Spectrum article was concerning: The most recent example is in the Gaithersburg (Maryland) Hispanic church in the Potomac Conference, where Bohr joined church members in defying not only the conference and the pastor, but the standard procedures for inviting speakers into churches. The statement above reminded me of something I saw in a Greek orthodox church one time. The priest told the congregation that the "fathers" had decided and it was their duty to obey. The members of the church in question wanted to hear Stephen Bohr, however, the conference seems to think that they should determine who the members have speak in their church. Never mind that the Potomac conference says nothing to the pride festivities in other conference churches. Never mind that some of these churches were funded by the sacrifice of the members. (This is what happens when you let the conference hold the title to the church that the local members have struggled and sacrificed for to bring about.) Stephen Bohr is a properly credentialed SDA pastor with "no demerits" on his record. There was no valid reason for this kerfluffle to be happening. The Potomac conference is doing to Bohr what the Florida conference did to Doug Batchelor. Bottom line: Stephen Bohr does not support the ordination of women. The Potomac conference is in full on rebellion against the greater church over this matter. So they will cancel him in the Potomac conference.

Dr. Diehl did more to improve the lot of the sick and suffering in his 77 years than most people would do in several lifetimes. It's not always the length of life that matters. Quality is important!

Thanks for that Kevin! Based on your comments I re-read Life Sketches where those quotes came from and then re-read LOCRP-01. I've got some other files in a folder I put together some years ago I also need to read. I'll definitely respond again but not until I review what you've said against the materials I've collected.

Guinea Worm Disease is a tropical disease caused by drinking unfiltered water in Africa. In 1986 3,500.000 people were affected by it. In 2022, a total of 13 people in the entire world are known to have been affected by it. This is due to the work of organizations such as The Carter Center, and others. For more information see: https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/guineaworm/index.html NOTE: Currently The Carter Center is working on River Blindness.

Yes, perhaps, but a problem is that Ellen G. White was a female leader in the SDA denomination. One can debate whether or not she was ordained. But, it is unlikely that any informed person would argue that she was neither female nor a leader in this denomination. Some might say that she never held an elected office. But, it is clear that she was given, the same credentials, over a period of several years, that we give SDA pastors. If we consider SDA male clergy to be SDA leaders we must consider EGW to be a SDA female leader.

Don't know much about parenting but I guess you are going to have a major problem with your daughter if you sneak into her room and remove her property. OTOH, it is your house. You can ask your daughter to take her bag with her and move out or get rid of it if she wants to stay. Or you could change your own mind and develop a closer relationship with your daughter. This is a matter of conscience for you but not for her. I doubt she is a satanist or will become one because of a pentagram. Matters of conscience are important ones, however. You need to realize the problem is not with the symbols but with your conscience. While I respect your disdain, even fear, of things related to the enemy of mankind it is you who are giving those things the power to interrupt your family's harmony. Intrinsically, they are nothing, as Paul said, "An idol is nothing in this world." They have no power, vibration, energy. They are nothing, unless you make them into something.

Leroy Leiske died in 2016, But he should not be forgotten as a SDA leader who helped make the SDA denomination what it is today. See: https://adventistreview.org/news/leiske-remembrance/

On Sunday’s lesson in the Sabbath School quarterly titled “Images from Marriage” (April 12-18), it ends with, “Here are three principles for marriage. First, forgive your spouse, however undeserving, just as Christ forgives us, however undeserving. Second, accept your spouse, faults and all. Third, just as Christ put us before Himself, put your spouse before yourself. How could all three of these gospel-based principles help us not only to understand how God relates to us but also to help any marriage?” See: https://atoday.org/rare-disclaimer-from-sabbath-school-quarterly-addresses-domestic-violence/ For comments on the above see: https://www.facebook.com/AToday.org/posts/pfbid02tMHATRmm9LMaFXTiZchoa9LC66YXnipbr3EwfkkPXHdFTE5jiFViwKhMjwK5whPjl

Yes, however, even more accurate is to remove the word "and" and just leave a dash "Evenings-Mornings" This indicates cyclic time based on the evenings and mornings of creation week; and the cycles we find in Leviticus 23 and 25 which we also find here and there in Deuteronomy. Leviticus 23 and 25 have the cyclic week of six days plus the Sabbath, six months and either Passover or Yom Kippur, six years and the Sabbatical year, and in Leviticus but NOT in Deuteronomy, six Sabbatical years and the Jubilee. Thus the Hebrew cycles are day=month=year= (in Leviticus only, but not Deuteronomy) Sabbatical year. Thus the cycles we can use in Daniel 8:14 would be days, month and/or years (Since Daniel is based on Deuteronomy, and was a student of Jeremiah, who there is evidence that Jeremiah was likely the Deuteronomic Historian and possibily the final editor of Moses, the book of the law, into our Deuteronomy, we need to limit the 2300 evenings-mornings cycles to days, months, or years.) Some people want to fit it into the two sacrifices and thus 1150 days and apply it to Antiochus Epiphanes. However, while it fit's him a little better than 2300 days, they still do not fit well (conservative commentaries tend to over look this, more liberal commentaries tend not to.) However, the term for the sacrifices are "Morning and Evening" I've read a couple of commentaries that said that the writer of Daniel was clearly Dyslexic because he meant to write "Morning and Evening" but his dyslexia caused him to write it "Evenings-Mornings." putting the two words in oposite locations and forgetting the word "and". There is evidence that supports the Adventist understanding of Daniel 8:14. However, it turns out that one of these pieces of evidence that I had learned from years ago has not stood up as we learn more. I just want to be honest and not leave out there outdated information. It's been said that a medical professor would start out the first day for that school's med students with the phrase "Half of what you learn from me and in these next 4 years of medical school will be wrong, however, we do not yet know which half." and one of my professors used to say "Students often ask me if I'll give the same final exam that I gave the last semester. I reply 'yes, but that does not mean that you can take that exam and not study, because while the questions do not change the answers may change as we learn more." Now, if the Seventh-day Adventist understanding of the 2300 Evenings-Mornings did not have merrit, we would find little if any evidence supporting it, and much evidence against it. However, there is a fair amount of evidence to indicate that we are on the right track. And over the years more evidence has come to support it, this is just one piece of evidence that, at least current information and understanding of the information, indicates that we can no longer list this among the evidence.

Joe made the following statement: "I later learned the on 20% serve on the front lines, 80% are logistics." In modern war, the rear is more dangerous than the so-called "front lines." The reason is that command and control are located in the rear area. Those in front cannot fight when either they are not given direction from commanders int he rear, or they do not receive re-supply of weapons and personnel. Both are dangerous. but, the rear is often worse.

A recent article in Adventist Today asked whether we should consider Ellen White to be equal to the Bible. pr as a fraud. I posted the following in response: In my opinion, we owe much to the guidance that she gave to us as a developing denomination. I do not believe that we would be the denomination that we are today if we had not had her advice. However, when it comes to spiritual advice and doctrine, I believe that we should look beyond her to the Bible. Over the years that she ministered in this denomination, her doctrinal understandings changed in many areas as she developed her beliefs. She grew, over the years in understanding the Biblical beliefs, as we must. We should not limit our growth to some point in her Christian growth. She would not want that. I will expand a bit beyond what I posted in AT. I consider our denomination to be indebted to her in the following areas: * Publishing: I consider her to be a primary source behind this area of our denominational life. * Missions: I do not think that we would have the emphasis on world missions if it had not been for her. * Health care: She is clerly the one who encouraged that area of our ministry. * Education: We would not have the extensive school system if it had not been for her.

In the following article, a retired SDA pastor reports on his experience of attending church services on a Sunday. See; https://atoday.org/i-went-to-church-last-sunday/ I have taken a slightly different approach, as I state in the following which I posted in response to his article: As a Federal Chaplain I often attended Catholic services when we used a contract priest because I wanted to better understand what they needed, and how they could better be served. As a SDA congregational pastor, I found that I had better relations with local pastors when I had attended their services on occasion. When I had SDA members married to members of other congregations, I had better relations with the non-SDA when I occasionally attended their preferred church and had something good to say about it.

Club Adventist is an independent discussion forum that is not formally associated with any religious group. It was founded by three people who were members and employees of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. The intention of that group was to provide a discussion forum where people with differing beliefs could engage in civil discussions of their commonly shared beliefs as well as their differing beliefs. From this perspective, many of the members of this forum are also members of the Seventh-day Adventist Chruch. We do not ask members who join to identify a connection with any religious group. With our present membership, I strongly suspect that the majority are not members of the SDA denomination. In any case, this forum is not formally associated with any religious group. All posted comments may reflect the personal views of the person posting them. Persons who want to learn of the official beliefs of any religious group should either review the formal statements of the beliefs of that group, and/or seek individual counsel from a formal representative of that group.

Media Bill Maher has a blunt message for Democrats in wake of election disaster: ‘Losers look in the mirror’ Maher alleged that Trump won because 'this country has had enough of the anti-common sense woke bulls---.' abriel Hays Fox News Published November 9, 2024 4:02pm EST as are stupid' HBO’s "Real Time" host Bill Maher had a blunt assessment for the Democratic Party after they lost the presidential election to President-elect Donald Trump this week. The comedian opened his Friday night show by demanding that the party take a long hard look at itself following the defeat and realize that Americans want common sense policies, not woke ones. "My message to the losers: losers look in the mirror," he declared, before berating the studio audience for going dead silent following the line DEMOCRATS LOOKING TO POINT FINGERS AFTER ‘HUMILIATING’ ELECTION DEFEAT SHOULD START WITH MEDIA: WSJ COLUMNIST "No? Well, maybe you should." He then recited a series of jokes ripping the Democratic Party for not seeing Trump’s historic victory from a mile away. "I mean, for months Democrats have been saying, ‘How is this even close?’ And they’re right. It wasn’t." He added, "They could not conceive of a second Trump term. But they should have. When does America ever turn down seconds?" Maher continued, remarking on just how significant the President-elect’s victory was this week. "Trump won all the swings [states], all seven, and he ran the table," the comic said. "Trump won so big, today he called the Secretary of State in Georgia and he asked him to lose him 11,000 votes," Maher quipped, referencing Trump’s 2020 phone call to Georgia officials asking them to help find him the amount of votes he needed to overcome then-candidate Joe Biden’s lead in the state. NEW YORK TIMES CALLS TRUMP VICTORY A ‘GRAVE THREAT’ TO THE REPUBLIC President-elect Donald Trump celebrating beating Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential race early Wednesday morning. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) The consistent Trump critic continued praising Trump’s performance on Election Day, adding, "But you know, he has an amazing coalition. He kept the old crowd that likes him. He got a lot of new voters. He got a lot of people who say they just want to see what he’ll do." "I call this the ‘get-the-cat-high’ vote," the host quipped. Trump did make one of the largest improvements in consecutive GOP election performances in decades. According to CNN senior data reporter Harry Enten, Trump improved over his last election results in 49 states, and Washington, D.C. "But, I mean, he did better like in every demographic. The exit poll said he grabbed 52 percent of White women. He also got their votes," Maher joked. Later in the segment, he took swipes at liberals, including Vice President Kamala Harris. He joked, "They say she saw the writing on the wall. Around ten o’clock at night on Election Night, she called McDonald's to see if she could get her old job." He then slammed her for underperforming "in every demographic," though he mocked her for polling "very well among illegal immigrant inmates who want sex change operations," a reference to a policy she expressed support for in 2019. Though he provided a sober assessment of why the Democratic Party lost, stating, "Oh, well, make no mistake, this election was very much about what I’ve been saying here and lost a lot of fans for saying over the years, that this country has had enough of the anti-common sense woke bulls---."

Catholics vs. Adventists relates to the issue of how children should be raised in a family where one adult is a Catholic and the other one is an Adventist. https://atoday.org/aunt-sevvy-my-catholic-husband-insists-on-taking-the-children-to-his-church-and-things-are-getting-tense/

Christ On A Donkey: Why did Christ ride on a donkey, when he could have traveled as the King that he was? See: https://spectrummagazine.org/sabbath-school/the-savior-of-the-world-riding-a-humble-donkey/

Amazing

Things are in complete chaos these days. so many things going on that each day it’s one shock after another I’m glad my parents aren’t alive to see this mess. in order to survive we must cling close to Jesus

$3,000,000 Grant: Southern Adventist University has been given a $3,000,000 grant to support Hispanic education. See: https://spectrummagazine.org/news/southern-adventist-universitys-plans-for-its-3-million-hispanic-serving-grant/

US Federal Chaplaincy: Some may have wondered what are the requirements are to become a Federal Chaplain in the United States. The following is the announcement for a job opening om a VA hospital in Arzona. Slight differences exist for military chaplains and probably for other Federal agencies. The following is a good summary of the requirements. As an example, the military has an age limit. The VA does not have an age limit. I have served as both an Army chaplain and as a VA chaplain. https://www.usajobs.gov/job/781217900

Medicine As Prophecy is a small, 64-page, book recently published on SDA health-care. The first link below will inform you of some interesting aspects reported in that book. https://atoday.org/book-review-medicine-as-prophecy/ This book may be purchased on Amazon, at: https://www.amazon.com/MedicineProphecyTheologyAdventistHealthcare/dp/B0CVNLG5HL/ref=sr_1_1crid=92VWCSHP7SBD&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.4jCobREtc7Hk4du6SPAoAwYT12muBNF0slXAAZLNktILfJqnrczusxRai9hJPMFk0YoVrQiViTq7Q7vHIZDCOaICCAnrKoEYOZdkqLt3vKW2QGJ4hMP54LmIXZzNaahBwwvzNXdyV4UKYfaF5Cd6EhcdAretvVGi1xAHkOt1q3BH0Wto_1A50uJc5G3LZakCR3BEEMGbLqrjtB8OIJWikTRLWOGDDAXARY2LfEVk.OE82OytVHqgRP2BsvCsrf4rgztBa5e7jm1seYVstw0&dib_tag=se&keywords=medicine+as+prophecy&qid=1709648939&sprefix=medecine+as+prophecy%2Caps%2C176&sr=8-1

Thanks Pastor Matthews, what you say is true.

What authority should be given to Ellen White, is a very real and critical question. The following article contributes to that question. https://spectrummagazine.org/views/2023/ellen-white-and-prophetic-authority

Hanseng: So, you are telling us that God has sexual organs, as well as a digestive tract?

Psalm 2, 7 prophetically applied to Christ is speaking of the Incarnation when Jesus was indeed born "in the flesh". You've no doubt heard the saying that 'wherever you go - there you are'. Well, Christ was the Son prior to the Incarnation according to the Scriptures.

See: https://cdapress.com/news/2023/jun/27/oldest-adventist-lives-family-friends/

I was listening to Franklin Graham on the radio this morning try to explain why Sunday is the Lord's Day. It was painful to listen to him grasp at straws in trying to make a New Testament connection to Sunday sacredness. But is it really that important? God-fearing Christians have been honoring Sunday for centuries and there are millions today that still do. What difference does it really make? I don't believe that keeping the seventh day (Saturday) holy is a salvation issue unless a person feels completely convicted to do so and is rebelling against the Spirit of God. In my study of the Bible I find there are many things God allows us to do which He is not too supportive of. Throughout the centuries God has allow polygamy. That was never His ideal. God started marriage in the Garden of Eden with one man and one woman. That was and still is His ideal. However God allowed polygamy. God also allowed divorce which Jesus said was due to the hardness of man's heart. Divorce was never God's ideal but was allowed. God also allowed meat-eating. Humans were created vegetarians and were not given permission to eat meat until after the Flood. Later God tried to return men to vegetarianism by feeding them manna in the wilderness. God also blessed the prophet Daniel physically and mentally because he chose a vegetarian diet. So there is a pattern where God allows things such as polygamy, divorce and meat-eating even though they are less than His ideal. It seems that God has allowed Sunday keeping among Christians but we cannot assume that means He has blessed it. The Bible teaches that God's people have always kept Saturday holy as His day of rest and worship. The first evidence of the early church keeping Sunday may well come from Irenaeus - a second-century church father. Prophecy in both Daniel and Revelation foretold of a period of time that the church would enter into apostasy and the traces of that can be found just after the last of the apostles died. It continued through the Dark Ages and until Martin Luther was able to use the technological advance of the printing press to spread the message of forgiveness by grace. Biblical truths did not all come at once with Martin Luther. He was God's man for the hour with a very important message. Salvation is the free gift from God and cannot be bought with earthly treasure. About 200 years after Luther God called John Wesley with another important truth. He emphasized the teaching of prevenient grace which teaches God loves every person and longs salvation for them but has given each free will to accept His offer of grace or reject it. Then, about another 200 years later God brought the Sabbath truth to light. Why? If the Sabbath wasn't such a big deal for the 2nd and 3rd century Christians nor for Martin Luther or John Wesley, why would God bring it to light in the 1800s? Charles Darwin's book "On the Origin of Species" was published in 1859. The Seventh-day Adventist church was organized in 1863 by Joseph Bates, James White, Ellen G. White and J. N. Andrews. The purpose of the church was to declare the soon, literal coming of Jesus Christ and to point people to worship the Creator and Redeemer. The seventh-day Sabbath is the only doctrine that calls for action on the part of the believer which demonstrates the belief that Jesus, in conjunction with God the Father and Holy Spirit, created the Earth and all of the universe. The Sabbath message flies in the face of evolution. The Sabbath message goes hand in hand with the call in Revelation chapter 14 to worship the Creator. The reason given in the Fourth Commandment for honoring the Sabbath is that God rested on it after creating the world and life on it. Creation is the mark of God's authority and the seventh-day Sabbath is memorial of it. The Apostles never honored Sunday as the Lord's day. Much is written in the New Testament on the issue of circumcision. The fact that so little is recorded in the New Testament about the Sabbath is strong evidence that it was a non-issue. Circumcision was for the Jews. The first person to be circumcised was Abraham - the father of the Jews. The Sabbath is for all of humanity. The first person to honor the Sabbath was Adam - the father of the human race. Circumcision is not mentioned in the Ten Commandments. More words are dedicated to the Sabbath Commandment than any of the other nine. Jesus said He was the Lord of the Sabbath. That must mean that the Sabbath is the Lord's day. *This was originally posted by me as a Facebook note June 19, 2012.

Nostalgia is the opposite of resentment. While resentment can make us bitter and cold, nostalgia has actually been shown to reduce stress and act against depression and anxiety. Some psychologists believe that reflecting on positive life experiences is especially beneficial to those that have experienced childhood trauma. This is consistent with the Apostle Paul's advice to the Philippians. "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." (Philippians 4:8). Nostalgia provides a greater sense of meaning in life for many people. Some therapists that use narrative therapy coach their clients how to use nostalgic moments of their past to shape a positive self-image. Our memories are not perfect. We do not want to make up good memories that never existed but we can learn how to move past bad memories while hanging on to the good memories and even allowing those good memories to serve to benefit us in the present.

Excellent!!! Thank you Dr. Shane!!! Relationship is the key to anything we can think of. From before creation to after the destruction of the wicked, and through out all eternity. The trinity are three things creatures need to know and experience for a life giving relationship with God: That God is God, the great self existent all powerful one. If this was the only way God revealed himself to us, as soon as creatures saw this part of God-self, it would quite literally scare creatures to death. There needed to be a oneness of the knowledge of God's greatness, as well as his intimate friendship with creatures. If God only revealed himself to us as approachable, sooner or later a creature would make an unwise choice and wonder why this friend thinks he knows so much more than we do. To exist creatures needed both, but even these two revelations, while each necessary, they were insufficient. God the Father and God the Son are both objective revelations of God. God created us to be (as he is) both objective and subjective. The Holy Spirit is God relating to us through our subjective existential experience. The gospel is all about relationship. I've been thinking a lot about what I read in Dr. Doukhan's commentary on Genesis about a year or so ago, and a misreading that has hurt relationships. There is a poem in Genesis 3:14 through 16. Sometimes we break up our thinking between verse and/or chapter divisions. This poem starts out with the curse on the serpent. It talks about the enmity between the woman and the serpent and her decedents, especially one seed, the promised seed that is described as "Him" and "He" and while the serpent was going to try to kill "Him" the attack will not cause a fatal wound but that act would be fatal to the serpent. The poem goes on to describe how, in both the physical pain of childbirth, but also the emotional connection to her children, that there will be a stronger emotional connection for both what they do well, but also in their poorer choices. That the husband (as seen later) will not have the same emotional connection, and is often more focused on work, that the woman just won't forget about him like how some insects are to the male of their species, but she will still desire him to be in this family situation. Then comes the very misunderstood words "and He shall rule over you." Too often over history we have applied this "He" to the husband. But "He" is a character who has already appeared in this story, who is already identified in the poem. This "He" is to rule Adam, Eve and all their children. Yes, He is coming some day, but not future in the by and by, but HE IS, HE AM, He is already there with them, and this dysfunctional human family were to turn to this "He" to rule them. This is the same "He" from Exodus 3 "He is the God of Abraham, He is the God of Isaac and He is the God of Jacob" The whole passage is about relationships; How the women and children and how they relate to the husband, and that one more person was needed, the promised "He". I have been writing down things I've learned that I've found useful from both Biblical Studies and my work as a psychiatric nurse. There are a few chapters by Mrs. White that I wish our church would publish under one binding as a missionary book. They are "The Origin of Evil" from Patriarchs and Prophets, "Why Was Sin Permitted" from Great Controversy, "God Made Manifest in Christ" from Signs of the Times January 20, 1890, "Gethsemane" from Desire of Ages, which are all background leading to the chapter "It is Finished" Mrs. White's crowning work. When talking about this with a pastor, he told me that these are available on line and can be copied and sent out. I hope I don't get into trouble for this, but I've taken these chapters and added a few of my own: One talking about what the terms "Milk and Honey" meant for the ancient world, another on what the Greek word mistranslated "Inn" in Luke 2 actually means (it was a room in a family home for out of town relatives to stay in when visiting) and looking at what archaeology has taught us about Nazareth. Also a chapter on misconceptions tradition gives us on the death of Jesus and the Jews, a chapter on last day events and looking at who hell fire really is (Yes, it's relational again). But then I felt the need to add to this the two chapters I had written from my work as a psychiatric nurse (as well as college and Air Force). The first chapter deals with human nature, some things that we all have in common, and while not all inclusive, I've been impressed at the overlap and dovetailing between the ideas of the philosopher/poet Eli Siegel in his "Aesthetic Realism" , the psychologist William Glasser in his "Choice Theory/Reality Therapy", and the work of Lois Eggers in her "Common Sense Psychology". Then one on some of our major differences as in our temperaments, love languages, apology languages, and attachment styles. I see all of these involved together in our relationships, and our doctrine of the investigative judgment. It all grows out of our relationship with each other and to the promised "He".

I eat plently of plant fiber.