The Wolf and the Rabbit's Hat

The wolf shouted into the forest: ” Hey, rabbit! Come here, I want to ask you something.”

The rabbit trembled but came close.

“Give me a cigarette,” growled the wolf.

“I don’t smoke so I don’t have any.”

“What? I don’t care if you smoke or not, you’re supposed to have a cigarette for me!” and without another word, he beat the poor rabbit.

The next day the wolf was itching for more harm: “Rabbit! Where’s my cigarette?” This time, the rabbit had thought ahead. “Here it is!” said the rabbit quickly, handing it over. The wolf grabbed it, sniffed, and then barked: “What cheap brand is this?” And he beat the rabbit again.

On the third day, the wolf wasn’t interested in cigarettes at all. He just wanted an excuse.

“Rabbit! Come here with that silly hat you wear sometimes!” The rabbit, now wiser, muttered to himself: “If I wear the hat, he’ll beat me for looking proud. If I don’t wear the hat, he’ll beat me for being careless. No matter what I do, the wolf only wants one thing: to beat me.”

- The Bible is clear that the Sabbath was never changed (Ex. 20:8–11; Mat. 24:20; Acts 13:42–44) and critics can’t prove otherwise.

- The dead are asleep, awaiting the resurrection (Eccl 9:5–6; 1 Thes. 4:16), and church critics can’t overturn Scripture.

- The church is proclaiming the second coming of Jesus visible, literal, and final, not a secret rapture (Acts 1:11; Rev. 1:7; Mat. 24:27) and church critics run out of arguments.

But the “wolf” goes after the rabbit anyway. “Your problem is this Ellen White stuff.” Now let’s be clear: Ellen White herself never claimed to replace the Bible, but “the lesser light” pointing to the Bible. And yet, the critics always come back to her. Why? Because if they can’t dismantle the Sabbath, the state of the dead, or the Sanctuary, then the only card left to play is to shout, “But Ellen White!”

Revelation 12:17 “The dragon/wolf… went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”

That’s the wolf-vs-rabbit story in prophecy. We are not called to appease the wolf or any other savage beast. 

We are called to follow the Lamb.

The Lark Bargain

Once upon a time there was a skylark who sang so sweetly that people would stop in their tracks just to listen. One day a man approached the bird with an unusual proposal: “I’ll give you a fat worm if you give me one of your feathers.

”The skylark thought, “I have hundreds of feathers. Surely one won’t matter.” He plucked a feather, enjoyed the worm, and flew away.

The next day the man returned with the same offer. The skylark hesitated just for a moment but again reasoned, “One more feather won’t make a difference.” And so, it went. Day after day, worm after worm, feather after feather.

For a while the skylark seemed fine. He still had plenty of feathers, still could sing, still could fly. But slowly, almost without noticing, his wings grew bare and ragged. One morning, when a hawk appeared in the sky, the skylark tried to take off, but he couldn’t. He had traded away the very feathers that gave him freedom.

That story may sound kind of quaint, but it carries a sharp edge of truth. Life is full of bargains. Most of them don’t come as one dramatic choice but as a series of small trades. “Just this once.” “It won’t really matter.” “I can always bounce back.” But compromises add up. And one day, like the skylark, a person discovers that what they gave away piece by piece was their ability to soar.

Jesus asked a haunting question in Matthew 16:26: “What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?” It’s the skylark’s bargain in different words. What use is a fat worm if you’ve lost your wings? What use is a pocketful of gains if you’ve traded away your soul?

The skylark reminds us that the small bargains matter. Guard your feathers. Guard your integrity, your faith, your hope. Don’t let them be plucked away one by one by easy trades.

This week, before you make a decision, ask yourself: “Am I trading the skies/Heaven for a worm?” And choose instead to keep your wings strong, your heart light, and your eyes on the skies.

(adapted after The Skylark’s Bargain by G.H.Carnley)

Over Overcoming

 

"We don't so much solve our problems as we outgrow them. We add capacities and experiences that eventually make us bigger than the problems.” This line belongs to Carl Jung, one of the modern psychology guru.

You’ll never do anything different or better unless you want to. And that desire—true want-to—won’t arise until your perspective grows enough to outweigh the pull of comfort, fear, or resistance. Real transformation begins not with behavior modification but with a shift in focus—from ourselves to something, to Someone, greater.

So many sermons focus on changing behavior:

“Do this, don’t do that.”

“You should, you must, you ought.”

“That’s wrong, stop it.”

But this approach often fails. Why? Because it imposes obligation without sparking motivation. It’s inward-focused, relying on our own willpower, rather than pointing us outward - toward Christ.

The truth is, victory over sin isn’t something we achieve by trying harder. That message, while common, actually mirrors paganism: “The answer lies within you.” But the gospel offers something better. Victory over sin is a byproduct, not a goal. It flows naturally when we see Jesus more clearly - when we fall in love with Him as we grasp the depth of His love for us.

This is the heart of what the Bible calls the New Covenant (2 Cor. 3:6; Heb. 10:16; Gal. 3–4). Anything else, no matter how spiritual it sounds, is just self-help dressed up as Christianity.

You’ll know you're hearing the false gospel when it makes you feel guilty and pressured:
"The preacher’s right... I really need to..."

You’ll know you’re hearing the true gospel when it fills you with wonder and desire:
"God is so beautiful... I want to..."

The sense of innocence before God is not a delusional sense that you haven't done anything wrong, but a rational-emotional sense that God relates to you as if you were innocent, without condemnation, simply and profoundly because He loves you and therefore relates to you according to your potential rather than according to your failures.

When was the last time you inquired Him of how to change you from inside out?

 

The Unusual Second Life of...

 

This man spent his life doing nothing meaningful. He watched movies endlessly, became an expert at video games, and worked a dull 9-to-5 job. No friends, no family, just a distant uncle. Not even a pet to keep him company. His days were a monotonous cycle: work, movies, games, sleep, then repeat.

By the time he reached his fifties, he realized he had done nothing else with his life. Then, one day, he was in a car crash… and woke up in his childhood bedroom, 12 years old again. Incredible. A second chance to live life differently.

This is the premise of The Unusual Second Life of Thomas by S. Inmon. A fascinating idea but, of course, pure fiction. Life doesn’t work that way.

Do you ever feel like life has slipped through your fingers—that you haven’t truly lived it to its fullest? That your days blend into one another, leaving you wondering if you’ve made a difference?

We often dream of second chances, of waking up one day with the opportunity to rewrite our story. But life isn’t a novel, and time doesn’t rewind. The truth is, we don’t need a miraculous reset to start living with purpose. The second chance we long for isn’t in some distant future, it’s right here, in this moment.

Jesus didn’t call us to wait for another life to begin living meaningfully. He called us to invest in what matters now—to love, to serve, to give, to make an impact that lasts beyond our own fleeting days.

Because in the end, it won’t be about how much we entertained ourselves, how comfortable we were, or how many years we let pass in routine. It will be about the lives we touched, the love we shared, and the purpose we embraced.

So don’t wait for a replay. Don’t wait for tomorrow. Start now. Love deeply. Give freely. Live intentionally. 

The real second life isn’t about going back - it’s about moving forward, toward something far greater than we can imagine.

 

Sabbath Worship Like Super Bowl

 

A recent survey found that 26% of Americans believe God will influence the outcome of the Super Bowl. Think about the immense preparation, the financial investment, and the excitement surrounding this one game - it’s staggering!

But here’s the real challenge: What if we treated every Sabbath like Super Bowl event?

- Wake up on Sabbath morning with the same excitement for the team you’ve joined—God’s team!

- Wear your "jersey" with pride—whether that’s a smile, a kind word, or even a shirt that proclaims your faith.

- Don’t be ashamed to represent! Put “Jesus is Coming Soon” or “Keep the 7th-Day Sabbath” on your car and let the world know where you stand.

- Invite others to experience the ultimate play-by-play at your church and then continue the fellowship over Sabbath lunch.

- Post about your Undefeated Coach - the One who has never lost a battle - on social media.

- Instead of debating bad calls from the refs, share the blessing of life that God gave you this morning with your coworkers.

Every Sabbath is a celebration of victory! God is calling the plays, guiding you through challenges, and surrounding you with a team to block the enemy’s attacks. Even when you get tackled by trials, He gives you another chance to regroup and press on.

PS. Add also the Valentine’s steadfast tenderness. 

Sabbath Holiness + Sabbath Eagerness + Sabbath Tenderness => Sabbath blessedness.

More Easier, More Difficult, More Exciting Than Ever

 

1. Being a member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church is EASIER today than ever.

Here’s why:

- The Sabbath is now widely recognized as part of the weekend, allowing most Adventists to observe it without work-related conflicts.

- Freedom of religion is legally protected and generally respected, enabling Adventists to worship and practice their faith openly.

- Adventist media is available 24/7 across multiple platforms, making spiritual resources more accessible and shareable than ever.

- “Blue Zones” and “New Start” concepts related to lifestyle favoring health and longevity are widely recognized as one of the trademarks of Adventism

- The Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy books can be found everywhere - at Adventist Book Centers, on Amazon, or even for free online.

2. Being a member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church is more CHALLENGING today than ever.

Here’s why:

- Biblical illiteracy and secularism - fewer people reading the Scripture, or capable of understand prophetical symbols and charts.

- Despite overwhelming evidence of the Church’s biblical foundation, the unfair and embarrassing label of “cult” persists in some circles.

- A segment of the Church membership remains uninvolved, withholding their talents, energy, and tithe-offerings from the mission.

- Some former members have taken to online platforms, turning personal grievances - such as a difficult divorce or unmet expectations - into attacks on the Church, often for the sake of more likes on social media or YouTube videos .02 cents per click.

3. Being a member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church is more EXCITING today than ever.

Here’s why:

- Every believer has unprecedented opportunities to share the Gospel using diverse resources - pamphlets, magazines, books, apps, social media, and one-on-one or small group Bible studies.

- The Adventist prophetical understanding of the Great Controversy, the war between Christ and Satan, is presented with more clarity than ever before.

- An amazing plethora of theologians and preachers, supported by local churches as well as Adventist institutions – schools, universities, hospitals, publishing organizations and missionaries - communicating the same message everywhere in the world

- The prophetic events outlined in the Three Angels’ Messages of Revelation 13 and 14 are unfolding before our eyes in real time.

- Above all, the blessed hope: Jesus is coming soon.

 

 

Never heard of it? Really?

I met Mr. Ken while helping an elderly couple move their belongings into a storage unit. It was a warm day, yet he wore a jacket. On the back and one of the sleeves, it had the label “The North Pole.” He looked at me and said, “You need a jacket, it may get cold later on.” I put mine on. He walked closer, glanced at the small label sewn into my jacket, and said, “Kirkland? Never heard of it.”

While waiting in the office of Dr. Uta, my dentist, I found myself entertained by a man with a strong desire to talk. After discussing the weather and the tortures of root canals, he said, “I was born in Colorado but grew up in Brooklyn, NY. That’s why I still have this accent. You have an accent too, I can tell. What’s your story?” I replied, “I was born in Romania.” “Really?” he said. “Never heard of it.”

While waiting in the restaurant’s hall to be seated, a friendly older man introduced himself. “I’m the senior pastor of First so-and-so Church,” he said. “I overheard you saying that you’re a pastor too. Which church do you serve?” I answered, “Seventh-day Adventist Church.” He glanced down at my shoes and said, “Seventh-day what? Never heard of it.”

Reading Mat.7:22-23 for my morning devotional I got something more dramatic than playing a little game of pretending ignorance regarding certain brand name, country or church denomination. Jesus warns that many still standing in the hallway of God’s kingdom, pretending they 

never heard of His Robe of Righteousness' brand, 

never paid attention to the Love-and-sacrifice language of heaven, and 

never considered the "minority report" regarding “Whole-Foods” church teachings.

Be ready for the day when Christ will either say, “I never knew you,” or, in the most glorious of moments, “I know you, come in”.

Talk to Him. 

Listen to Him. 

Walk with Him. 

Today.