Editor’s Note: Below is a transcript of a message, posted to You Tube on April 9, from president of the Adventist Church, Ted N.C. Wilson. Elder Wilson will release a new video each week, during the Coronavirus pandemic, which you can view here.
Brothers and sisters around the world, what a privilege to be able to be in contact with you in various ways through digital activity, through electronic means, social media, digital activities in the realm of reaching people all around the world. What an amazing opportunity to stay together.
It's a wonderful privilege to support each other through prayer—the 100 Days of Prayer. You are precious to God. Every single one of you, far-flung all over this globe, you are precious to God. Stay focused on Him and His Bible promises, and He will give you the hopes and the dreams that you have based upon His precious word.
Let me share with you a beautiful promise, essentially three verses of promises by God, in Second Corinthians chapter 4, and verses 16, 17, and 18—"Therefore we do not lose heart . . .” My brothers and sisters, don't become discouraged. Don't give up. You may be unemployed right now. You may be facing physical danger. You may be having an illness. Don't lose heart.
The Bible goes on to say, “Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.” As you connect yourself through prayer, through Bible study, through the study of the word of God, through study of the Spirit of Prophecy, God will give you a renewing of your life. That's what revival and reformation is all about— being revived in the Lord, and then changes taking place because of our connection with Him.
We’re reading Second Corinthians chapter 4 verse 17—“For our light affliction . . .” Whatever it is you're facing—you may think it's difficult, and it may be, but it is a light affliction, in comparison perhaps, with what others are facing. “. . . which is, but for a moment,” Paul goes on to say, “is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.”
The Lord is helping us to lean upon Him, perfecting our characters, helping us to realize that the Lord is our strength. And verse 18: “While we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen, for the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”
My brother and sister—all of you, young people, older ones—keep your eyes focused upon Jesus and eternal things.
Let me share with you just a few words from a wonderful book, The Great Controversy. I hope you're studying and reading the Spirit of Prophecy and understanding God's precious words for you. It says here, on page 583, in the chapter called “The Impending Conflict,” which is chapter 36:
“Thousands who pride themselves upon their wisdom and independence regard it as an evidence of weakness to place implicit confidence in the Bible. They think it a proof of superior talent and learning to cavil at the Scriptures . . .” to kind of dismiss them, and to put them down, “and to spiritualize and explain away their most important truths.” My brothers and sisters, don't be part of that group. Look to the word of God as your strength.
And in that beautiful book, Christian Service, which we have been sharing and looking at —one beautiful quotation here on page 99: “We need to look constantly to Jesus, realizing that it is His power which does the work.” Let's lean completely on our Lord and ask for the Holy Spirit to live within us. “While we are to labor earnestly for the salvation of the lost, we must also take time for meditation, for prayer, and for the study of the word of God. Only the work accomplished with much prayer and sanctified by the merit of Christ will in the end prove to have been efficient for good.”
God bless each one of you as you stay focused upon God's word as you pray together, even over the telephone, or in a distant kind of setting, or through social media, and the 100 Days of Prayer. Pray for spiritual power, pray for the latter rain of the Holy Spirit, that soon this work will be finished and Jesus will come. God is counting on you to be an anchor of stability, and a pillar of hope. Let me pray with you.
Dear Father in heaven, bless each one around this globe. Give them encouragement as they face this coronavirus and the aftermath of all kinds of reverberations from this situation. We place everyone in your hands. Guide them, focus them upon you, and may they be part of a great army of people who will be telling the world Jesus is coming soon. Thank you for hearing us, Lord. Empower us through the latter rain of the Holy Spirit. In Christ's name we ask it, amen.