The Undercover Adventist

  The Fine Line Between Pride and Purpose Scripture Focus: Mark 12:31; 1 Timothy 3:1; James 1:17 Pride is one of those words that can feel confusing. In everyday language, we say things like, “I’m proud of you,” and we mean something good—affirmation, encouragement, even love. But in the biblical sense, pride takes on a very different meaning. It’s not about appreciation; it’s about elevation—lifting ourselves above where we belong and, often, above others or even above God. So, can pride ever be positive? Not in the way Scripture defines it. The Bible consistently warns us about pride because it shifts the focus from God to ourselves. It tempts us to take credit for what we’ve been given rather than recognizing the Giver. Yet, this doesn’t mean we’re supposed to ignore growth, excellence, or the good things in our lives. There’s a difference between recognizing God’s work in you and replacing God with yourself. Jesus gives us a helpful anchor in Mark 12:31: “Love your neighb...

    Lessons of Faith from Joshua - Sabbath School Lesson 9 -  Monday The Land as a Gift:  Living as Heirs of a Greater Promise The Promised Land stands at the heart of Israel’s story—a reminder that God not only delivers His people from bondage but also leads them into blessing. When God spoke to Moses in Exodus 3:8, He described Canaan as a “good and spacious land,” a place of abundance offered as a gift to a people who had known only the oppression of Egypt. This land was not a trophy for their merit; it was an expression of God’s covenant love. Yet the relationship between God, Israel, and the land was unique. Leviticus 20:22 warns Israel that remaining in the land required obedience; sin would defile the land and jeopardize their place in it. Leviticus 25:23 makes this relationship even clearer: “The land is Mine; for you are strangers and sojourners with Me.” In other words, Israel were tenants, not ultimate owners. God remained the true Landlord, and Israel’s...

  Worshiping the Creator, Not the Creation Scripture Reading: Romans 1:25 – “They exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.” God has filled the world with beauty—the mountains, oceans, forests, skies, and even the smallest flower declare His glory ( Psalm 19:1 ). We are called to care for the earth as good stewards ( Genesis 2:15 ). Yet there is a danger: what God gave us to manage and enjoy can become something we idolize. The Apostle Paul warned about this when he said people “worshiped and served the creation rather than the Creator.” Today, let’s explore how we can faithfully care for the earth without crossing the line into worshiping it. Recognizing the Goodness of Creation God called everything He made “very good” ( Genesis 1:31 ). The earth is not a god—it is a gift. Creation reflects God’s glory but is not the source of glory. When we see beauty in creation, our hear...

So you just finished a great series on "Stewardship." You are now pumped up for the cause. Adventists are feeling recharged and ready to open their pocketbooks. Well, at least that was the goal. Back in 2015, the good people that run the Adventist Church, decided we needed a reboot. That giving was not up to snuff, and by golly, they were bound and determined to do something about it. They created stewardship directors for each division. Thirteen in all. They were given salary, benefits, and travel to shepherd the masses. They wanted to teach every man, woman, and child in the church about stewardship. In other words, you gotta spend money to make money. Of course it fell flat. Local churches and pastors were not really on board. It was a perfect storm, really. The GC had troubles with the strong dollar, less tithe money coming in, and a few questionable business practices. Something had to be done. We need to get people on board to start tithing! In the Fall o...