Wanyororo Seventh-day Adventist Church

04/10/2024

Thought for the Day
Morning and evening the heavenly universe takes notice of every praying household. - Pr 190

07/03/2024

13/01/2024

God Forbids Believers Marrying Unbelievers

Never should God's people venture upon forbidden ground. Marriage between believers and unbelievers is forbidden by God. But too often the unconverted heart follows its own desires, and marriages unsanctioned by God are formed. Because of this many men and women are without hope and without God in the world. Their noble aspirations are dead; by a chain of circumstances they are held in Satan's net. Those who are ruled by passion and impulse will have a bitter harvest to reap in this life, and their course may result in the loss of their souls.

04/11/2023

Happy Sabbath!

18/01/2023

Back to the Altar - Devotional Life and the End-time Message

Day 8 — Worship and the Three Angels' Messages

“Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water” – Revelation 14:7

The First and Second Angels’ Messages
As Seventh-day Adventists, we are called to proclaim an end-time message of so much importance that nothing else should divert our attention (Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 8, p. 302). We preach the message of the first angel “flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth” (Revelation 14:6), urging all to fear God, give Him glory, and “worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water” (verse 7). These verses remind us that humanity’s origin is divine, not evolutionary. We possess the “everlasting gospel”—timely and timeless, essential and eternal, needful and never-ending!

We also share the message of the second angel found in Revelation 14:8: “Babylon is fallen”! This sacred message calls all true followers of God to reject all humanly originated forms of worship and belief not based on God’s Word. It calls us away from randomly assembled beliefs which are not based in Scripture nor supported by the Spirit of Prophecy. Come out of Babylon that you be not partaker of her sins nor of her plagues, the angel of Revelation 18:4 would later command. This sacred message is a call to stand apart in our true worship of God!

The Third Angel’s Message
But, Friends, if the first two messages were powerful, Ellen White says something quite startling about the message of the third angel. Ellen White writes in her Letter 209: “The power of the proclamation of the first and second angels’ messages is to be concentrated in the third” (1899). How so? Because the third angel’s message captures the everlasting gospel of the first message and its call to worship! It embraces the second angel’s call for separation from false worship. But the proclamation of this third message is unlike the first two in that it delivers a fearsome warning: “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of his indignation” (Revelation 14:9). This message reveals earth’s marked-up beast-worshipers and heaven’s sealed-up God-worshipers!

“Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus” (Revelation 14:12). Of this message Ellen White further notes, “It is present truth. This message is to go forth with great distinctness and power. It is not to be clouded by human theories and sophistries” (Letter 20, 1900). As we pray today, let us ask God to empower our worship that we might powerfully proclaim His end-time message to a perishing world.

Let’s talk to our God.

Prayer Time (30–45 Minutes)

Praying God’s Word — Revelation 14:7
“Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.”

“Fear God and Give Glory to Him”

Our mighty Creator God, King of the Universe, we want to humble ourselves in Your presence. You are our God, the only God, and You are worthy of our praise, our devotion, and a life of consecration to Your will. You are wonderful, beautiful, powerful, and amazing. We ask that You will fulfill Your promise and fill us with Your Holy Spirit so that our lives become a reflection of Your perfect character of love. Glorify and reveal Yourself through us we pray. Amen.

“For the Hour of His Judgment Has Come”

Jesus, the prophetic word of the book of Daniel and Revelation is clear: We are living in the judgment hour of earth’s history. Thank You that we can have confidence in the sufficiency of Your righteousness, which is ours by faith, and which provides us with assurance of salvation as we face judgment. Help us, by Your grace, to live lives of useful, mission-focused service, honoring You in all we do. Amen.

“And Worship Him Who Made Heaven and Earth”

Oh Jesus, when we look upon this world and the universe, we are in awe of the beauty of Your handiwork. Despite sin’s effect on it all, we can still see that You are the Master Artist who put so much beauty and intentionality into Your craftmanship. We would not exist without You. Thank You for sharing Your life and creating us not only to exist for ourselves but to live in eternal fellowship with You, our Creator. Amen.

More Prayer Suggestions
Thanks and Praise: Give thanks for specific blessings and praise God for His goodness.

Confession: Take a few minutes for private confession and thank God for His forgiveness.

Guidance: Ask God to grant wisdom for current challenges and decisions.

Our Church: Pray for regional and world church needs (see separate sheet with requests).

Local Requests: Pray for current needs of church members, family, and neighbors.

Listen and Respond: Take time to listen for God’s voice and respond in praise or song.

Song Suggestions
SDA Hymnal: Seeking the Lost ( #373); Rescue the Perishing ( #367); Lift Up the Trumpet ( #213)

Other Songs: For God So Loved the World; I Will Make You Fishers of Men

17/01/2023

Back to the Altar - Our Most Urgent Need

Day 7 — A Church That Worships

“Come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our Maker” – Psalm 95:6

(Un)regular Worship
A 2018 worldwide survey of Seventh-day Adventists found that only 34 percent of Adventist homes are engaging in regular morning and evening worship, and only 52 percent of church members have any personal devotions at all. Can a church with an end-time message centered on worship—the three angels’ messages of Revelation 14:6-12—deliver this solemn message if its members are not faithfully engaged in personal and family worship? In other words, can we proclaim effectively what many of us are not doing daily?

Ellen White comments, “There is nothing more needed in the work [of God] than the practical results of communion with God” (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 6, p. 47). Elsewhere she writes, “Like the patriarchs of old, those who profess to love God should erect an altar to the Lord wherever they pitch their tent. . . . Fathers and mothers should often lift up their hearts to God in humble supplication for themselves and their children. Let the father, as priest of the household, lay upon the altar of God the morning and evening sacrifice, while the wife and children unite in prayer and praise. In such a household Jesus will love to tarry” (Child Guidance, pp. 518, 519)

Our Most Urgent Need
The restoration of personal and family worship among Seventh-day Adventists is perhaps the most pressing need of our time. But it will not be easy. Today we face the challenge of technology that increasingly occupies our time and alters our minds. Our addiction to media, especially social media, has left us anxious, irritable, lonely, stressed, depressed, sleepless, and unhappy with our station in life.

Ironically, personal and family worship have the opposite effect. Worship calms our minds, decreases loneliness, reduces stress, increases peace, fulfills our emotional needs, and teaches us contentment. Might the altar be the antidote to our frazzled minds and restless hearts?

Now more than ever, God is calling us back to His heart, to consistent times of refreshing in His presence. It is for this reason that the Seventh-day Adventist Church has launched the “Back the Altar” initiative, a landmark effort to rebuild the broken personal and family altars in God’s church. By 2027 we hope to see at least 70 percent of Adventist members engaged morning and evening in personal and family worship. You will hear more about this initiative in the days ahead, but we can all begin now to worship God faithfully and consistently. If we go back to the altar with God, we will be transformed into His image and empowered to finish His work!

Today let us ask God for a special outpouring of His Holy Spirit on our worship experiences with Him. Now more than ever, we need the precious blessing of communion with God.

Let’s talk to our God.

Prayer Time (30–45 Minutes)

Praying God’s Word — Psalm 95:6
“Come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.”

“Come, Let Us Worship and Bow Down”

God, how often we have failed to realize how truly great and awesome and beyond human comprehension You are. The vastness of the universe cannot contain You, and yet we too often do not honor or worship You accordingly and with deep reverence. Give us a glimpse of Your glory and help us realize how You deserve all honor, glory, and adoration. Remind us to approach You with reverence and respect, acknowledging You as our mighty God. Amen.

“Let Us Kneel Before the Lord our Maker”

Creator God, You are the ultimate Master Artist. All things You have made are beautiful and perfect. Your love is written on every opening bud and every leaf. You are also our true Father, the One who made us, desired us, and created us in Your image. How can we ever fully realize the honor You have bestowed upon us to be called Your children? We praise You and worship You, our Maker! Amen.

More Prayer Suggestions
Thanks and Praise: Give thanks for specific blessings and praise God for His goodness.

Confession: Take a few minutes for private confession and thank God for His forgiveness.

Guidance: Ask God to grant wisdom for current challenges and decisions.

Our Church: Pray for regional and world church needs (see separate sheet with requests).

Local Requests: Pray for current needs of church members, family, and neighbors.

Listen and Respond: Take time to listen for God’s voice and respond in praise or song.

Song Suggestions
SDA Hymnal: I Need Thee Every Hour ( #483); Be Thou My Vision ( #547); Spirit of the Living God ( #672)

Other Songs: Unto Thee, O Lord; Surely the Presence of the Lord

16/01/2023

Back to the Altar - Ending the Day with God

Day 6 — The All-Night Prayer Warrior

“Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God” – Luke 6:12

An Example for Us
Jesus was known to spend whole nights in prayer, as He did on the night before selecting a team of 12 disciples who would one day take the gospel to the world (Luke 6:12, 13). You might be inclined to stay awake all night too if you had a world to save with the help of 12 unqualified sinners. The responsibility was so heavy. Here is how Ellen White describes Jesus, the all-night Prayer Warrior:

The Majesty of heaven, while engaged in His earthly ministry, prayed much to His Father. He was frequently bowed all night in prayer. His spirit was often sorrowful as He felt the powers of the darkness of this world, and He left the busy city and the noisy throng, to seek a retired place to make His intercessions. The Mount of Olives was the favorite resort of the Son of God for His devotions. Frequently after the multitude had left Him for the retirement of the night, He rested not, though weary with the labors of the day. . . . While the city was hushed in silence, and the disciples had returned to their homes to obtain refreshment in sleep, Jesus slept not. His divine pleadings were ascending to His Father from the Mount of Olives that His disciples might be kept from the evil influences which they would daily encounter in the world, and that His own soul might be strengthened and braced for the duties and trials of the coming day. All night, while His followers were sleeping, was their divine Teacher praying. . . . His example is left for His followers. (Homeward Bound, p. 169)

Understanding the Stakes
While some Christians start their day with God, due in part to the fear of what awaits them once they leave their home, many rarely end it in His presence. Having received what they needed to get them through the day, they barely pause to thank God for His provision and protection over their lives. Tired and worn, they drop into bed with little thought of seeking Him for power to face tomorrow’s trials. They rarely even thank Him.

Jesus understood the high-stakes spiritual reality that greeted Him each day. He had a keen awareness of the spiritual danger that His disciples faced, even when they had not a clue (Luke 22:32). Today—and every day—let us never miss the opportunity to end our day with hearts lifted to God in prayer and praise. Let us pray earnestly for each other that God might keep us faithful as we near the return of Jesus Christ.

Let’s talk to our God

Prayer Time (30–45 Minutes)

Praying God’s Word — Luke 6:12
“Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.”

“He Went Out to the Mountain to Pray”

Jesus, we are so thankful for Your example to us. Your life is the great pattern we follow, and we pray that You will live out Your life within us. Lord, we recognize our need for private time with You. Help us today to carve out special quiet times for prayer. Show us the “mountain” that is available to us—a place where we can commune with You and learn to hear Your voice more clearly. Amen.

“And Continued All Night”

God, most of us have never prayed an entire night. Some of us struggle to pray more than 30 seconds. And while the length of prayer does not determine whether You hear us, we do realize that more time with You would result in so many more blessings for us. It is in communion with You that we are strengthened, helped, led, convicted, guided, and blessed. God, please teach us to pray and to make this holy time with You a priority, both individually and as a church body. May we come to the point where our time in prayer is longer than the time we spend on our phones, in front of our TVs, or focused on other distractions. Make us prayer warriors. Amen.

“In Prayer to God”

Our loving God, with shame we must admit that for many challenges we do not turn first to You but to other sources which are not from You. Often we don’t even realize that we have turned so many things or experiences into idols. Please forgive us. Show us where we have sought the things of this world instead of seeking You. You are the all-powerful, almighty God of the universe. We want to seek You only. To You only we pray. Amen.

More Prayer Suggestions
Thanks and Praise: Give thanks for specific blessings and praise God for His goodness.

Confession: Take a few minutes for private confession and thank God for His forgiveness.

Guidance: Ask God to grant wisdom for current challenges and decisions.

Our Church: Pray for regional and world church needs (see separate sheet with requests).

Local Requests: Pray for current needs of church members, family, and neighbors.

Listen and Respond: Take time to listen for God’s voice and respond in praise or song.

Song Suggestions
SDA Hymnal: Abide With Me ( #50); Leaning on the Everlasting Arms ( #469); Be Still, My Soul ( #461); It Is Well With My Soul ( #530)

Other Songs: His Sheep Am I; In Moments Like These; My Peace I Give Unto You

07/01/2023

07/01/2023

07/01/2023

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever (1 Chronicles 16:34). Remember that God's love for you is deeper than the ocean and wider than the sea.

Slow down and enjoy the Sabbath day as we worship our Creator today!

31/12/2022

30/12/2022