Lyford SDA Church

09/30/2026

09/24/2026

The Dawn of Hesed: The law of Kindness

Think about the last time you looked into a mirror. Standing there is a very personal position, we don’t use it to look at the person standing in the next room. We use it to examine ourselves. We look for the flaws, the smudges, the things that need to be brought into alignment.

Interestingly, something completely opposite tends to happen when it comes to our spiritual lives. It’s like Satan’s magic trick. Our sinful nature takes the mirror God gave for our own souls, and we turn it outward, using it as a magnifying glass to point out the flaws, the failures, and the shortcomings of the people around us.

This is the root of the problem Paul addresses in 2 Corinthians 13:5. In a urgent and direct command he states: "Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified."

On the surface this sounds harsh, severe even. How do we reconcile this intense call for inward examination with everything we know about avoiding an outward, critical spirit? How do we balance the demand to "test ourselves" with the relentless, gentle hesed—the covenant-making, unbreakable lovingkindness of God—celebrated twenty-six times in Psalm 136?

The answer lies entirely in the direction of the lens, and it brings us face-to-face with one of the most raw, painful, and beautiful passages in all of Scripture: Lamentations 3:22-25.

The prophet Jeremiah writes from the ashes of a destroyed city. He is at the absolute end of himself. He has examined his nation, he has examined his own grieving heart, and right there in the dust, he drops the magnifying glass of judgment and looks up. He writes: "Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. 'The Lord is my portion,' says my soul, 'Therefore I hope in Him!' The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him."

In the original Hebrew, that word for "mercies" is hesed. Notice the process and intention of true biblical self-examination. It doesn’t stand in a position of comparison in pride or self justification, neither does it let shame or guilt keep it from carefully inspecting the beauty of the perfect standard of love. True self-examination looks inward, realizes my total bankruptcy, and realizes that the only reason I am still breathing is because of the morning-by-morning hesed of God. His loving kindness pleading with me to understand how much I’ve always needed Him and let Him create the new heart He wants to give me.

In the book “Desire of ages” there is a warning about how the danger of turning the lens of God in an outward focus without letting it work in us. “When we are frustrated, hyper-critical, selfish, or rude, we completely cut ourselves off from God's holy influence. When we spend all our time monitoring and judging everyone else's behavior, we block the very grace and mercy we need so desperately ourselves. Our words end up biting and stinging like a venomous snake, driving away the gentle presence of the Holy Spirit and bringing tears to the very angels of heaven.”

Basically put, we can’t claim the Lord is our morning "portion" while serving portions of bitterness, criticism, and gossip to the people around us. The fresh mercies of Lamentations 3 can’t flow into your life if you are actively choking them from flowing out of your lips. Ultimately we take that view of God to ourselves as well.

The course correction comes in recognizing our need. Realizing it is our loving Creator that has revealed it to us we are encouraged to ask for help in correcting it fully trusting that as we grow closer to Him He will perfect us to the day of Jesus’ return for His service.

True self-examination does not end with your defects. It begins with your need and ends with Christ’s righteousness. Jesus was never rude, never spoke harshly for no reason, and never intentionally hurt anyone's feelings. Instead of judging people for being human, he showed real understanding and compassion. He helped them see their need and pointed them to the truth.

Studying God’s word serves as a mirror to examine our faith and bring our great need to God. It isn’t a license to compare ourselves to others but to see His faithfulness to us all and help others to see it. The only reason any of us are even breathing is because of His faithfulness and He wants us to get to know Him.

When we understand and receive His hesed through our own brokenness, the magnifying glass of criticism is shattered. Satan can no longer use us to magnify our brother's flaws because we are too busy marveling at Christ's patience with us. By recognizing our own great need for Jesus, we are freed to receive His heart of service and step into the ministry of reconciling others to our Heavenly Father.

Now the law of kindness takes possession of character. We can look at the world around us no longer as a judge, but as a fellow traveler who has found the morning mercies and wants to share them with others.

Today let’s study God’s word as the standard of Love that it is and present to God our great need. Let’s test our faith by it to ensure we are hidden safely in Jesus. Look by faith, wait quietly for His goodness, and let the law of kindness flow out into a world that is thirsting for real love.

09/18/2026

"Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong."
— 1 Corinthians 16:13

The days are coming when Satan will work miracles right before our eyes, claiming to be Christ. Only those who have fortified the mind with the truths of the Bible will stand through these last moments of earth’s history. We are reminded that we cant afford to enter the final conflict with a superficial faith. The crisis we will be facing isn’t just an external trial; it is an extreme test of our character and where our loyalty rests. This knowledge anchors our souls, focusing on the work Christ is performing for us right now in the heavenly sanctuary and the work He desires to perform in us on earth. Helping us to see how God see’s and learning to hate sin.

To prepare for this crisis, we must move beyond passive belief and actively cooperate with divine grace. The oil of the Holy Spirit works through the Word of God, but we must make room for it in our daily lives. We do this through intentional study of what He says is Holy so we can ask for the help where we need to follow.

As we prepare to enter another Sabbath let’s focus on those things that will grow our character to be like Jesus. Practice memorizing the scriptures in thought and song so that the enemy is unable to gain ground in distraction or misdirection. By focused reading of the word the Holy Spirit can bring them to our remembrance when we need them most.

Take time to be curious about what things we are still holding on to so that we can lay it all down at the cross. We must approach the throne of grace with humility, asking the Lord to reveal any hidden sin or compromise in our hearts, choosing to repent and put away anything that separates us from Him.

Choose daily to surrender our human will to the divine will. We do this by beginning each morning in prayer, actively choosing to die to self, and letting Christ live out His character through us.

Meditation: Are we spending more time consuming the distractions of this world or fortifying our minds with the eternal truths of God's Word? If the shaking were to happen today, would our foundation stand on a personal, deeply rooted knowledge of scripture, or are we relying on the borrowed faith of others?

Prayer: Loving Heavenly Father, as we prepare today to enter into you Holy Sabbath rest we praise you and thankyou for bringing us through this week. For all the ways we see you caring for us we know your heart is for our good. Forgive our weakness and doubt and help us to ground our faith to see the reality of how sin weakens and poisons us from being like you. We ask that You cleanse us and give us the strength to put away every weight that holds us back. Cleanse our characters and pour out Your Holy Spirit upon us. We pray for a hunger for Your Word; help us to study it, memorize it, and hide its truths deep within our minds. Thankyou for all these reminders of your truth, your character, your love and your warnings given to us in your word. We want our lives hidden in Christ. Help us to that end in Jesus’ name. Amen.

09/16/2026

"But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps." — Matthew 25:4

The class represented by the foolish virgins are not hypocrites. They have an understanding of the truth, they are in the church, but they haven’t given themselves over to the Holy Spirit's working. They haven’t fallen upon the Rock, Christ Jesus, and permitted their old nature to be broken up. The oil is the Holy Spirit, which brings a transforming grace into the character.

Character can’t be borrowed or transferred at the final moment. Now is the time to seek an experiential, personal connection with Christ. We can’t rely on the faith of your church, your family, or past experiences.

We can’t afford to have a form of godliness without the power of the Holy Spirit. To stand in this judgment hour, we must be in the practice of daily asking the Holy Spirit to perform a deep, soul-cleansing work within us. This means we must daily examine our hearts, surrender our hidden defects, and ask to recieve the annointing oil. The extra oil in our vessels represents a character transformed by grace—a faith that will not fail when the midnight cry sounds and probation closes.

Meditation: Am I relying on a past conversion experience, or am I actively cooperating with the Holy Spirit today to have my character cleansed and transformed? What is my relationship with God actually growing in me?

Prayer: “Dear Heavenly Father, forgive me for being distracted and content in bringing an empty lamp and a superficial faith. I need more of Jesus and ask that You break up my old, selfish nature. Cleanse my heart from every hidden sin and fill me with the oil of Your Holy Spirit to follow your will today. Transform my character so that I may reflect Jesus completely and stand faithful until He comes. In Jesus' name, Amen."

09/15/2026

"But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us." — 2 Corinthians 4:7

As we near earth’s final days, we see desperate conditions all around us—but none is more desperate than our own failure to reflect Jesus in the darkness. By nature, we are nothing more than fragile, imperfect vessels of clay. Yet, God has gifted the most glorious treasure—the revelation of His own character in humanity through Jesus Christ. The way was made clear for the transforming grace of His Holy Spirit to grow and perfect us for the purpose of reflecting this very same character to the world. Human glory and self-sufficiency will fail us in this purpose. God can only pour out the Latter Rain when we recognize our own emptiness. If we want the heavenly oil to fill us to overflowing for the Second Coming, we must allow the Lord to break our pride, remove our self-reliance, and cleanse our soul temples.

As we continue in these final days of earth's history, our vulnerability as earthen vessels is tested not just by our internal weaknesses, but by a lack of Spiritual discernment. The Bible warns us through the words of Jesus and the apostles about the rising tide of false teachers within the community of faith. These deceptive influences look for cracks in our spiritual armor, often appealing to our human pride, sensuality, or a desire for easy, compromised doctrines.

Now more than ever we can’t afford to be Spiritually naive. If we aren’t reading the word and allowing the Holy Spirit to shine the light on the things we need to change we will never ask for the healing oil to transform our character by faith. If we are filled with self, we become easy targets for sophisticated deceptions that twist the scriptures to fit our earthly focus instead of our Heavenly calling. Bring our need to God we receive the heavenly eyesalve of the Holy Spirit to discern truth from error, ensuring that our faith is anchored solely on a plain "Thus saith the Lord" rather than the eloquent, deceptive philosophy of man.

Today let’s admit our weakness and ask Him to empty us of worldly ambition and intellectual pride. By seeking to follow in obedience to His clear word our fragile lives are placed in His control. In this way we are protected from deception and allow the pure treasure of His grace to shine brightly through us.

Meditation: Are we daily examining our thoughts and beliefs in the light of God’s Word to follow in obedience so that we aren’t deceived or distracted from following His clear will? What areas of our lives are we living in the fashion of the world instead of asking for a transformation of the character of Jesus?

Prayer: Father I have seen a love shown at the cross I recognize as true. I believe Jesus is the way, please break apart all the false armor I use to hide my pain and need of you. I believe, help my unbelief so that you are truly lord of my life. All to Jesus I surrender.

09/14/2026

The Trumpet Call and the Soul Affliction

"Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly." — Joel 2:15

"For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people." — Leviticus 23:29

This week I am focusing on the Day of atonement. For us, the Day of Atonement isn't about an earthly temple anymore. It points directly to Jesus’ work in the heavenly sanctuary. This is the last step in dealing with the sin problem. This means we are living in the ultimate, anti-typical "Day of Atonement" right now. It’s a time when the heavenly records are being reviewed, sins are being blotted out, and God's character is being vindicated to the universe before Jesus returns.

Just like ancient Israel had to "afflict their souls" on this day, it’s a modern wake-up call for us to live with deep spiritual awareness. It means daily repentance, checking our hearts, and making sure our lives are fully aligned with God through faith in Christ.

The blowing of the trumpet (Shofar) is a warning that the Day of Judgment is here. On the Day of Atonement, the congregation had to gather at the sanctuary, casting aside all worldly distractions to afflict their souls. Afflicting the soul means letting the Holy Spirit search out every hidden sin. In this judgment hour, we cannot afford to rely on past victories or a superficial faith. The straight testimony acts as a mirror, exposing our spiritual poverty so that we can be cleansed before the door of mercy closes.

In Revelation 3:14-22 (The Message to Laodicea) we have a warning from the true witness (Jesus). Each warning is given to prepare for the shaking that is coming over the whole world (Hebrews 12:25–29).

The final shaking is coming, and it is triggered by the direct truth from the True Witness. If we reject this counsel, we will cause a division among ourselves. Instead, we must take this testimony into our hearts, allow it to reform us, and lift our standards high. The Bible warns will refuse to endure such a straight message; these will walk away because it demands the death of self. But if we respect God's word, we will let this message purify us—completely preparing us for the Latter Rain and the final conflict.

We must add to our oil… recieve the grace for grace. To survive the shaking during this judgment hour, we must ask Jesus to reveal our true spiritual condition today. Let us repent of half-heartedness and buy "gold tried in the fire" and "white raiment" by choosing faith and surrender over lukewarm complacency. We need to take dedicated time today for quiet self-examination, asking the Lord to bring to light any of our unconfessed sins, hidden pride, or compromised habits. Let us surrender them immediately at the foot of the cross, pleading for the blood of Christ to blot them out of the heavenly records.

This is a call to remember we aren't just waiting around—we are living in a crucial hour of Earth’s history, and our main focus is letting Jesus cleanse our hearts right now.

Meditation: When we look into the mirror of the straight testimony, where are we still holding onto lukewarm complacency or self-sufficiency? What specific comforts, hidden pride, or unconfessed habits are we holding on to or keeping from Jesus during this judgment hour?

Prayer: “Lord, perform a deep, searching work in my heart today. Give me the courage to look into the mirror of Your straight testimony and see my true condition. Forgive my lukewarmness and pride. I open the door to You—give me the gold of true faith, clothe me in the white raiment of Your righteousness, and let Your blood blot out my sins so I may stand firm through the shaking.”

09/13/2026

The Righteousness of Christ is the New Covenant. The Bible defines "the faith of Jesus" as Righteousness by Faith in Spirit and Truth. Preaching the law disconnected from the Spirit produces a cold theory of truth but misses Jesus' power over sin. This is the Ephesus trap (Rev 2:1-5): they had a flawless, rigid defense of moral law, but they were spiritually dry because they forgot their original love and dependence on Jesus. Without agape love, our lampstand gets removed.

We cannot separate the law from the Lawgiver. Just as Abraham failed by trying to manufacture God's promise through Hagar, we default to an Old Covenant mindset whenever we try to keep the law in our own power, instead of asking for New Covenant power through total dependence on Him.

When Paul says to "examine ourselves" and Peter says to "grow," the Bible completely redefines our effort (2 Cor 13:5, 2 Pet 1:5). Our own promises and willpower are like ropes of sand. Forcing ourselves to keep the law through human grit is the signature of the Old Covenant. True effort isn't about behaving better; it's about fully surrendering to His will through love. As we yield, He works in us to will and to do of His good pleasure. Growth and perseverance are simply the daily, active habits of staying surrendered.

What does this moment-by-moment trade look like practically?
Imagine someone insults you. The immediate reaction of the flesh is a raw, unholy urge. Under the Old Covenant, your effort is spent trying to force yourself to look calm, gritting your teeth and suppressing anger using willpower. Under the New Covenant, that willpower is surrendered.

First, we must process our feelings so we don't just react by natural instinct, but ask the Spirit to lead. This helps us diagnose our great need. Facing the reality that our natural reflex is to manipulate the situation to protect our ego means admitting we are spiritually bankrupt in that moment. Instead of calling down fire to destroy the external problem, we must ask for a cleansing fire to anoint us as living testimonies of His work.

This isn't about praying a perfect prayer; it's about training our minds to look at Jesus and admit we can't copy Him on our own grit. When we switch focus, the Holy Spirit upgrades a desperate, white-knuckled "Help me, Jesus!" into a relaxed: "Lord, I can't force myself to be good right now, so I’m handing the keys over to You—take total control of my thoughts." This prayer is perfected and poured into us by faith as we train our hearts to see Jesus' love at the cross.

It takes incredible spiritual energy to stop defending our ego and hand over the keys while our feelings scream for revenge. This is why we must study His character, fall in love with Him, and pray throughout the day to keep everything filtered through the cross. As we look away from our brokenness and look entirely at Jesus, we exercise "the faith of Jesus"—trusting that He is presently giving us exactly what we need to be broken and recreated.

By training daily in the Word and exercising our desire in the Spirit, we manifest Christ in us, the hope of glory (Col 1:27). The Holy Spirit takes over, bringing a secure peace. The urge to depend on the flesh dies. We are able to do what was humanly impossible: respond with discernment in genuine agape love because we let Jesus live His life out through us.

This isn't easy because a lifetime of relying on the flesh must be broken. We are invited to throw ourselves on the rock of love to be rebuilt for our original design, paid in full by the blood of Jesus.

"Grace and peace be multiplied to you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who has called us by His own glory and excellence, by which He has given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, so that through these things you might become partakers of the divine nature and escape the corruption that is in the world through lust." - 2 Peter 1:2-4

04/05/2026

Jesus’ empty tomb isn't just a historical fact; it’s the heartbeat of a new reality. But the Resurrection wasn’t just about Jesus leaving the grave—it was about Him coming back for a broken friend.

Before the cross, Jesus warned Peter that Satan desired to "sift [him] as wheat," but Christ’s counter-measure was personal prayer for Peter’s faith (Luke 22:31-32). After the denial, Peter was trapped in a tomb of his own making—guilt. Peter's grief was so deep he felt he had forfeited his place among the twelve. He wasn’t just mourning a Master; he was mourning himself.

God’s first priority after defeating death was a targeted message of inclusion for the one who felt most excluded. Notice the Angel’s words: "Go, tell his disciples and Peter" (Mark 16:7). Love doesn't hold a grudge. By the Sea of Galilee, Jesus doesn’t lecture Peter. He feeds him. Then He addresses the issue. Three denials met with three questions of love. Jesus asks "Do you love me?" three times—not to punish Peter, but to allow him to replace three denials with three affirmations of love. Jesus wasn't shaming Peter; He was cauterizing the wound.

Peter’s fall was what finally qualified him to lead. He could no longer trust in his own strength or self-assurance only in Christ's. His brokenness became the bridge through which he could reach others. Before the crucifixion, Peter was the "rock" of the disciples—but he was a rock of human ego. He famously claimed, "Even if all fall away... I will not" (Mark 14:29). Peter had to be "sifted like wheat" to realize that his natural courage was actually spiritual weakness. The denial wasn't just a mistake; it was the total collapse of his self-trust.

Psychologically this was the shift in Peter’s character. Before his fall, Peter was quick to judge and fast to correct. After his restoration, he was humbled and contrite —a spirit favored by God, notably in Isaiah 66:2 and Isaiah 57:15. Isaiah 66:2 highlights that God esteems those who are "poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word". This was a Peter Jesus was ready to commission.

The Resurrection (Victory) + Restoration (Mercy) = The Mission. Jesus didn't restore Peter despite his failure; He used the lessons of that failure to make Peter the leader the early church actually needed.
Matthew 28:19 isn't a cold command; it’s an invitation to tell the world that the God who rose from the dead is the same God who fixes broken people. If you feel like Peter today—defined by your worst moment—remember the empty tomb. He didn't just rise to claim a throne; He rose to reclaim you. The Commission starts with the realization that you are forgiven, and because He lives we can face tomorrow.

04/04/2026

The crucifixion of Jesus Christ is the central event of human history, but does it mark the end of the Sabbath's purpose? Let’s explore how the Bible brings the light shown at the cross and resurrection to illuminate the Sabbath’s enduring role as a memorial of both creation and redemption. We can then better understand how the Sabbath is a weekly celebration of Christ’s completed work of redemption, signifying God’s capacity to sanctify and reshape the believer.

The Sabbath wasn’t meant to be a legalistic burden but as a dynamic "sign" of a new heart—the inward transformation promised by the New Covenant (Ezekiel 36:26-27). The new heart is a mind and life focused on Christ, with the law written within. When Jesus rested in the tomb during the Sabbath, He was resting from the work of redemption, completing it (John 19:30). Therefore, the Sabbath is forever linked to this completed work of salvation, serving as a reminder that God sanctifies us (Exodus 31:13, Ezekiel 20:12). Honoring the Sabbath for believers is sign of Christ's sanctifying power—a "new heart" that delights in obedience rather than obeying through fear. It is a "rest from all our work" (Hebrews 4:9-10), allowing God to work in us. A joy in obeying the call to come into a “Holy Convocation” Exodus 23:3, straight from the finger of God restated on Sinai from the creation of the world for all humanity.

The new heart, is evidenced by the "sympathy and tenderness of Christ," which empowers believers to be agents of healing, fulfilling the moral law through love rather than legalism. In the New Covenant, the focus is on the "new commandment" of loving others (John 13:34) and engaging in relational ministry. Keeping the Sabbath is an act of community and love, part of a "wounded healer" identity (Isaiah 53:5). The Sabbath provides time to develop a "new heart" by fostering a deeper relationship with Jesus.

The Sabbath serves as a "seal" of God's authority and a shield against atheistic and misunderstood ideologies which change the Holy convocation from Sabbath to ANY other day. Jesus commanded His followers to pray that their flight from Jerusalem (which occurred decades after the crucifixion) would not be on the Sabbath (Matthew 24:20) showing how He directed them to consider and prepare ahead of time to continue keeping the sacredness of the Sabbath Holy long after His death. The Sabbath, instituted as part of God’s creation week, transcends the Old Covenant's sacrificial shadows. While the "shadow" laws (like animal sacrifices) were "nailed to the cross" (Colossians 2:14), the weekly Sabbath is part of the moral law (the Ten Commandments) which is immutable. Its purpose after the crucifixion is to provide a rhythmic "rest" that points to the spiritual rest found only in Christ (Hebrews 4:9), serving as a weekly reminder that our salvation is a finished gift we cannot earn.

The crucifixion did not "nail the Sabbath to the cross"; rather, it deepened its meaning. Before the cross, the Sabbath pointed back to a perfect Creation. After the cross, it points both back to Creation and to the "New Creation" made possible by Christ’s sacrifice. It stands as a weekly protest against the "hustle culture" of works-based righteousness, reminding the believer every seven days that they are "saved by grace through faith" (Ephesians 2:8). It is the only commandment that begins with the word "Remember," a divine safeguard against the spiritual amnesia that often follows times of great trial or transition.

The Sabbath is unique because it is a holy space not made of wood or stone, but of time. God hallowed a specific 24-hour period, offering it as a weekly refuge. It is a gift from a loving Father inviting children to "rest with Me," rather than a restrictive commandment. “Love is spelled T-I-M-E”, as famously phrased, in relationships (especially families), to show that love is best demonstrated by spending time together—talking, laughing, and problem-solving. The concept that "love equals time" applied to the Sabbath day transforms it from a legalistic checklist of prohibitions into a weekly, 24-hour act of relationship, devotion, and intentional presence with God and others.

If we look at the Sabbath through the lens of love as time, it stops being a rulebook and starts being a boundary for intimacy. In any relationship, you can say you love someone all day, but if you never give them your undivided attention, the claim rings empty. While everyone looks for a personal weekend to rest for themselves, God formally invites us to a sacred time set apart for a Holy purpose with other saints to worship and spend time with Him. Let your observance be a "delight" (Isaiah 58:13), not a burden, using these holy hours to reconnect with the One who rested in the tomb so that you might find eternal rest in Him. Sabbath is more than a day; it is a relationship.