Further Study: Read Ellen G. White, “The Bible Prophets Wrote for Our Time,” pp. 338, 339, in Selected Messages, book 3; Arthur L. White, “Make It Known to Others,” pp. 60-72 in The Early Years: 1827-1862.
“As the subject was presented before me, the period of Christ’s ministration seemed almost accomplished. Am I accused of falsehood because time has continued longer than my testimony seemed to indicate? How is it with the testimonies of Christ and His disciples? Were they deceived? Paul writes to the Corinthians: ‘But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none; and they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not’ (1 Cor. 7:29, 30).
“Again, in his epistle to the Romans, he says: ‘The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light’ (Rom. 13:12). . . .
“The angels of God in their messages to men represent time as very short. Thus it has always been presented to me. It is true that time has continued longer than we expected in the early days of this message. Our Saviour did not appear as soon as we hoped. But has the word of the Lord failed? Never! It should be remembered that the promises and threatenings of God are alike conditional.”—Ellen G. White, Selected Messages, book 1, p. 67.
Discussion Questions: 
Why have some Seventh-day Adventists lost confidence in Ellen White’s prophetic ministry? Could part of the problem be with how her work has been presented? Discuss.
Take some of your favorite excerpts from her writings and read them again. What was it about them that you liked so much? What is the message she is giving in these sections? Bring your selections to class and share them.
Some people use the writings of Ellen White as the final authority on every point. Why is that wrong? What great dangers does such an attitude present to our church? What are some ways this wonderful gift has been, and still is, abused in the church? What have been some of the results?
| I N S I D E Story | ||
| Excited About God by NONHLANHLA KHUMALO I attend an Adventist secondary school in Zimbabwe. I love sharing my faith with others, but it hasn't always been that way. At first it was hard for me to tell others what God was doing in my life. But as I prayed and studied the Bible, I became more certain of my faith and wanted to share it with others. I started with my twin brother. He's a Christian, but he didn't attend a Pathfinder camp I went to near Victoria Falls. At that camp 1 learned to make prayer and Bible study part of each day. And I heard stories of miracles God was doing in people's lives. I went home excited about God. I started telling my brother what God meant to me. The more I shared, the more eager I was for him to experience the joy of sharing his faith. When I started studying in this school, I joined the Christian Service Band. We went to a village about an hour away to hold Sabbath services. We rode in an open truck pulled by a tractor to reach the village. The dirt road spit dust onto us, but we didn't mind. We passed the time singing songs and talking about God. When we arrived, we brushed the dust off our clothes and entered the church. The church members knew we were coming, but other villagers watched curiously as we walked into the church. I was a little nervous my first time there, and I asked God to help me teach the younger children their Bible lesson. We had no felts or no picture rolls, but the children listened carefully as we told them the Bible story. Then I read the story of the boy Samuel from my Bible. Few of the children prayed at home, so we taught them to pray and urged them to pray every day at home. I was surprised at how little these children knew about God and His love for them. After Sabbath School and church, we divided up into teams and visited every home. We talked and prayed with the people and invited them to the evangelistic meetings that would start soon in the village. It was late afternoon when we returned to the school, and I was hungry and dusty. But I was happy that we could make a difference in the lives of these villagers. I want to continue visiting that village and watch people respond to God. In the meantime, I am praying that the people will see the light of God's love in our lives and in the lives of believers living in the village. I invite you to join us in sharing God's love with these villagers through your mission offerings and your prayers.
Nonhlanhla Khumalo is a student living in Zimbabwe. | ||
| Produced by the General Conference Office of Mission Awareness. email: info@adventistmission.org website: www.adventistmission.org |
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