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.

I Have a Dream Too

 

I once served in a church where the leadership believed that faithfulness to God meant preserving a 1950s version of Adventism. They dressed, spoke, and sang as if it were still the 1950s. They looked back with nostalgia, thinking, “Look how great we were. If only we could return to that golden age of greatness.” This mindset stands in direct contrast to the warning in Ecclesiastes 7:10, which cautions against longing for the past. Sadly, this mentality made them judgmental, controlling, and at times, unsafe to be around.

This illustrates the danger of turning the past into an idol rather than using it as a springboard for the future. Our church’s legacy should be a foundation upon which we build, not something we worship. So, rather than clinging to the culture of past Adventism, perhaps we should emulate the faith and self-sacrifice of our pioneers—so that the Gospel can reach more people today.

True faith isn’t rooted in nostalgia. It’s about actively leaning into what could be, not resting on what was. A living faith takes the best of our heritage—our deep biblical roots, our commitment to health and education, our prophetic vision—and allows it to inspire something new for this generation.

Instead of saying, “It was so good when we did this or that,” we should boldly declare, “The best is yet to come.”

A culture where innovation meets mission, courageously exploring new ways to connect with today’s people in today’s world.

A culture where relationships matter more than regulations or local traditions, allowing people to encounter Jesus before they encounter barriers.

A culture that doesn’t just talk about the future but actively builds it—thriving in the present while staying true to the timeless message of hope.

Preserving the past may feel safe, but true transformation and growth happen when we prioritize Jesus’ "new commandment" in John 13:34. Merging the knowledge about the beasts of Revelation with this love-one-another lifestyle. This is how multiplication and impact happen.

So, what kind of Adventism do you want to see here? One that looks back or one that looks forward?

Let’s dream together.

    Let’s move ahead together. 

       Let’s togetherner together.

Train Up vs Train Down

 

Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it. Prov.22:6.

If our children see us putting other things ahead of God, they will become discouraged and disillusioned, like a young Jewish boy, Karl, who once lived in Germany.

Karl’s father was a successful retailer, and the family practiced their Jewish faith. But then they moved to another city, and the boy’s father announced that they would no longer attend synagogue, no more Sabbath keeping. They were going to join the Lutheran church.

The boy was very surprised and asked his father why the family was joining the Lutheran church. His father’s answer was something like, “For business reasons. There are so many Lutherans in this town that I can make good business contacts at the Lutheran church. It will be good for business.”

That boy, who had a deep interest in religion, became so disillusioned with his father that something died within him. He said to himself, ‘My father has no real convictions.” The incident helped to turn him against religion with a vengeance. That young boy was Karl Marx. He wrote the “Communist Manifesto,” in which he called religion “the opiate of the masses.” His ideas were pushed by Lenin, Stalin, Mao, Kim Il Sung and other communist dictators brining misery and death to millions of people. 

I wonder if world’s modern history would have been different had Karl Marx’s father hadn’t put other things ahead of God.

Our children and grandchildren know whether we love God with all our heart. They see it with every decision we make that minimizes God in favor of another gods. What they want to see is parents with such love and reverence for God that they bring Him into every area of their lives and put Him first in everything.

And by extension, this is not only what our families are looking for, but our neighbors, friends, coworkers… this is what people want to see when they are observing the life of a GC - Genuine Christian.

Are you a GC or a F(ake)C?  

My Lazarus

 

If you will, you can make me clean. (Mark 1:40) I hear my own heart in the words of this desperate leper. He knows that God can do anything, but He isn’t sure that He wants to. Jesus’ ability isn’t up for debate, but apparently His heart is. Is this true?

It’s likely years of shame which has this leper questioning whether Jesus would want to heal him. This leper knows that Jesus can heal him, but why would he want to? Not this is the line I love, v:41: Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed”

Jesus is moved with compassion and then He does the unthinkable…He touches the leper. And rather than Jesus getting leprosy and becoming unclean He heals the leper. That’s good gospel stuff right there. It doesn’t matter how much shame or darkness or dirtiness or brokenness you have, when you call Jesus, He is going to answer to you.

But then I think of Martha.“Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

She, like the leper, isn’t questioning Jesus’ ability. She’s not even questioning His heart. If Jesus had been here, then He would have made sure Lazarus didn’t die. What she is questioning is Jesus’ timing, the goodness of God’s planning.

And that leads to where I occasionally wrestle with. I know that God is able. I know for a fact that He loves me, I’ve got story after story from my own life.

But what if His love means that Lazarus still dies? What if for the glory of God my Lazarus dies?

He is still good. He still loves me. He still is doing everything that is ultimately best for me. But it’s not what I would have chosen. Will I trust Him then? This is where those who question God’s existence get really frustrated with us.

We say God miraculously heals someone. We see the hand of God in someone’s cancer going into remission. We attribute this to God instead of medical science. Point for Team-Jesus.

Then when God doesn’t heal someone… we continue to believe that God is good and does us good. We say things like “He has a better plan” or “He decided to heal in His time”.

If God could heal someone, if God loves us, then why in the world would He not always heal? And if he doesn’t always heal doesn’t it mean that either He doesn’t exist or He isn’t good? Not at all! Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”

It just means - the story isn’t over.