Gospel Adventist

03/16/2026

The Power of God

There is simply no excuse for people living in the United States of America to be ignorant of the word of God. There is at least one Christian church in every town, and anyone can find a Bible in a library or bookstore. Turn on the radio and you can tune into a Christian radio station. The strength of this country is rooted in its Christian value structure. Once these values are eroded we will have destroyed our common culture of freedom and justice for all.

There is still hope for individuals who desire to know the truth–who desire to be blessed of God in their daily lives. Jesus gave us the ultimate formula for spiritual success in only a few words: “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it” (Luke 10:28, NIV). Those who are honestly seeking for truth should read the word of God and obey what it teaches.

However, Jesus also told us about a common error in his day. People were reading the Bible, but they were missing the point of what it was teaching. Jesus said: “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God” (Matthew 22:29). Jesus was saying that the Bible needed to be interpreted in light of the power of God. But what did Jesus mean by the power of God?

The apostle Paul would later shed some light on the power of God when He wrote: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile” (Romans 1:16). To Paul the power of God was the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Paul elaborated on this further in a letter to the church at Corinth where he stated: “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Corthintians 1:18). Here he tells us that the power of God is the message of the cross.

The power of God is the gospel of Jesus Christ that points people to the message of the cross: “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins” (1 John 4:10).

If we want to be blessed of God then we must hear the word of God and obey what it teaches us. But in order to obey the teachings we must understand the purpose of scripture is to point people to Jesus and His voluntary sacrifice for our sins. When we read the Bible we must read it in the light of the life and death of Jesus Christ–the message of the cross—the power of God.

Stephen Beagles
(April 13, 2013)

03/14/2026

The Presence of God

“The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous and his ears are open unto their cry.” ~ Psalms 34:15

Have you ever wondered where God is on days when it seems everything is going wrong? I know that there are some days when it seems that God is ignoring us or that He has left us to reap the benefits of our own sinfulness. But if you believe the Bible then you have to believe that God’s eyes are on us and that He is paying attention to our unique set of circumstances. He not only sees us, but He is also listening. We are under constant surveillance by the God of the Universe.

Job was aware of God’s constant surveillance when He wrote: “Doth not He see my ways, and count all my steps?” (Job 34:21, KJV) He answers his own question by stating “For His eyes are upon the ways of men, and seeth all his goings” (Job 34:21). The writer of the book of Hebrews states clearly: “Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in His sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do” (Hebrews 4:13).

Not only does God see all things that happen to us, but he also knows all things:“For if our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our hearts, and knoweth all things” (1 John 3:20). The Psalms tell us: “Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite” (Psalms 147:5).

In these verses of scripture we learn that God is watching and knows all things with infinite understanding. Whenever we have a problem in our daily life, we can rest assured that God is aware of what is happening and has a solution to our problem. If God allows something to happen, then we can know that He has a purpose for letting it happen. If God created the universe in all of its complexity and mystery, then how can He be confused by our problems? We simply have to trust that God knows what He is doing.

The eyes of the Lord are on the Righteous, but His ears are also open to their cry. God is more than willing to listen to us when we cry out to him in our pain. He wouldn’t have it any other way. He wants us to call to him. He even commands it through the prophet Jeremiah: “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not”(Jeremiah 33:3). Since God has all the answers, it makes perfect sense for us to turn to Him who is the source of all wisdom and power. God spoke through the prophet Isaiah about how eager he is to hear our prayers: “And it shall come to pass that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear” (Isaiah 65:24).

When we stop to ponder the truthfulness of these verse of scripture, we catch a glimpse of the type of relationship God desires to have with each of us. God hurts when we hurt and cries when we cry (Isaiah 63:9). In His wisdom, He must allow evil to run its course. He must permit bad things to happen. But He is on our side and promises to give us the peace that surpasses all understanding when we call upon Him in prayer: “Be careful for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let our requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).

The Apostle Peter quoted directly from Psalms 34:15 when he stated “For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers” (1 Peter 3:12). It is comforting to know that God is always watching, and that He hears me when I cry out to him in my suffering. I know when I pray that God is listening to me. He is eager to grant me the peace of heart that comes only from the knowledge of His presence.

Stephen Beagles
(April 13, 2013)

03/11/2026

Our Sabbath Rest in Christ

Adam and Eve were created on the sixth day. They had no part in the plan of creation. The first full day they spent with God was the Seventh-day where they rested in the completed work of God.

In the time of Moses, the Passover (Deliverance from Egypt) came before Sinai (The Tablets of Stone commanding Sabbath Rest). They rested in what God had done for them in creating the world and by saving them from slavery to Egypt.

Now, in the New Covanant where God puts his law in our hearts, we observe Sabbath because we are saved by the finished work of Christ on the cross. The only part we play in the plan of salvation is to rest in what Christ has accomplished for us. Jesus is our Sabbath rest.

While the spirit of the Sabbath (Resting in Christ) does not negate the letter of keeping the literal Seventh-day holy, it reminds us that without the assurance of salvation in Christ alone we are nothing more than Saturday keepers.

We are saved by faith and blessed by obedience to the law of God.

Stephen Beagles
(March 10, 2026)

03/11/2026

03/10/2026

Promise

His promise still remains
He will never change
He’ll see us through the pain
And peace he will arrange.
Why now does he promise
To give us life anew
We do not deserve this
But someone does love you.
There are deep red bloodstains
Those who believe are few
But the fact it still remains
Jesus died for you.

Stephen Beagles

03/08/2026

By the Blood of the Lamb

When it comes to spiritual warfare, most people either ignore the devil or focus on him. The only way to fight the devil is to focus on the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Evil spirits exist and their main objective is to destroy our faith in Jesus. They don’t worry much about the people who are already under their control, but they do worry about the influence that the Spirit of God has over people who are searching for truth.

While fallen angels cannot possess a Christian, they can oppress and torment representatives of Jesus Christ. We cannot fight them in our own wisdom and strength, and the only way to overcome these battles is to pray, praise, and to saturate our minds with the truth of God’s word. Lucifer is the father of lies, and he flees from the king of Truth–Jesus Christ.

One of the biggest traps that Christians can fall into is extremes. Evil spirits are happiest when they can turn a Christian into a “double agent” and work havoc from within a christian home, church, or community. Jesus warned us about false Christs and false prophets. Don’t forget that it was the temple priests who called for the crucifixion of Jesus.

It is possible for a person to become earthly minded and be of no heavenly good, but it is more likely for a christian to become overly concerned with spiritual extremes to be of no earthly good. God wants us to be practical and balanced in using our mental, physical, and spiritual gifts. Yes, we must hate sin–but we must love the sinner and do everything in our power to let them know of God’s love for all his created beings.

The gospel is the power of God, and Jesus said that the cross would be the magnet to draw people into a love relationship with himself. The cross is the central focus of God’s message to the world. This is the message of truth that God has given us to proclaim. This is the message that makes the devil flee, and gives us the strength to break the spiritual bonds of evil.

"Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: 'Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down. They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short.'"

Revelation 12:10-12, NIV

Stephen Beagles
(March 16, 2013)

03/07/2026

The Gift of Eternal Life

I have learned over the years that most Christians use the same words to explain biblical doctrines: Salvation, Grace, Faith, Obedience, etc. The problem is that many have attached different meanings to the words they use to describe Christian beliefs.

Different word definitions often leads to confusion for new believers who are interested in learning more of what the Bible teaches. Defining the terms that we use to describe our beliefs is often necessary for the sake of clarity and correct understanding of the Bible.

What does it mean when Christians use the term Salvation? What does it mean to be saved by the blood of Jesus? The word Salvation means that believers are saved from the punishment of sin. Once we acknowledge our disobedience before God and ask His forgiveness, we are given the promise of eternal life in heaven.

Salvation may also have other meanings depending on the context in which it is being used, but primarily it describes our being saved from eternal death. Christians have the promise of eternal life.

Those who trust that Jesus died for their sins have the assurance of life after death. Jesus paid the penalty for sin, and heaven is offered as a free gift to those who receive Christ as their substitute. This is the good news of salvation. This is the message of Christ to the world. We should never worry about being good enough for heaven–we are not! What matters most is Christ was good enough to be the perfect sacrifice for sin.

Do you have the assurance of Salvation?

Stephen Beagles
(March 7, 2013)

03/06/2026

The Secret to Spiritual Power

One of my favorite authors, Ellen G. White, wrote a single sentence that encapsulates most everything there is to know about the act of praying to the God of heaven. She wrote:

“Prayer is the secret of spiritual power.”

She also wrote in Steps to Christ, a 126 page book that ranks in the top twenty best-selling books of all time, the following paragraph that describes the type of relationship that God desires to have with each one of us:

“Keep your wants, your joys, your sorrows, your cares, and your fears before God. You cannot burden Him; you cannot weary him. He who numbers the hairs of your head is not indifferent to the wants of His children. ‘The Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.’ James 5:11. His heart of love is touched by our sorrows and even by our utterances of them. Take to Him everything that perplexes the mind. Nothing is too great for him to bear, for He holds up the worlds, He rules over all the affairs of the universe. Nothing that in any way concerns our peace is too small for Him to notice. There is no chapter in our experience too dark for Him to read; there is no perplexity to difficult for Him to unravel. No calamity can befall the least of His children, no anxiety harass the soul, no joy cheer, no sincere prayer escape the lips, of which our heavenly Father is unobservant, or in which He takes no immediate interest. “He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.” Psalm 147:3. The relations between God and each soul are as distinct and full as though there were not another soul upon the earth to share His watchcare, not another soul for whom He gave His beloved Son.”

Joseph Scriven wrote a poem in 1855 that would become one of the best known hymns of all time. The timeless poem tells us of the wonderful friendship that we may find in Jesus Christ: “What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear! What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer! O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear, All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer. ”

The longest book in the Old and New Testament is the book of Psalms which is a book of prayer and praise to the God of the Universe. The middle chapter of the Bible, also the shortest chapter in Holy Scripture, is Psalms 117—that serves as a reminder that prayer should always be the center of our relationship to God.

Jesus said many things about prayer during his earthly ministry. One of the first things that He taught about praying was that God is aware of our needs and is willing to provide good things for those who ask Him (Matthew 6:32; 7:7-11). He also tells us of our need for prayer as protection against evil (Matthew 17:21).

The only time in scripture it is recorded that Jesus ever got violent is when He threw over the tables and chairs of the merchants selling doves in the Temple of God while he screamed, “It is written, My house shall be called a house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves” (Matthew 21:13). This is a warning to all who see church as a place of business instead of a place where even the poorest may feel welcome to worship God.

Jesus also gave an example of how we should pray. By following the example of the Lord’s prayer we ought to pray that God’s will be done in our lives, that He will provide for our daily needs, that He will forgive us our sins, and that He will deliver us from evil.

Jesus taught that God already knows what we need and there is no mystical value in chanting the same prayer numerous times to win favor with the Heavenly Father (Matthew 6:7-8). However, He was adamant that we should continue praying even during times when it seems like God isn’t going to provide us what we are asking. There may be many reasons that God might delay an answer to a specific request. Our prayers may be what God needs to make us ready to receive a special blessing: “And he spake unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not faint” (Luke 18:1).

Jesus himself spent entire nights in prayer to the Heavenly Father (Luke 6:12), and if He needed prayer to maintain His spiritual strength then how much more prayer do we need to maintain our spiritual life?

It is important to remember that God hears our prayers because of the blood that Jesus shed on the cross of Calvary. When we pray “in Jesus name” it is a reminder that God sent His beloved Son to die for our sins and to restore the fellowship that was lost because of disobedience in the Garden of Eden. Jesus commanded his disciples to pray in His name so they might receive the full blessings of prayer: “Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive that your joy may be full” ~John 16:24

Stephen Beagles
(January 7, 2013)

03/05/2026

A Basic Christian Habit

“But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.” ~ Psalms 1:2

The King James Study Bible (1988) contains a statement in the beginning section, “How to Study the Bible”, that contains valuable insight into the best way to study the Holy Scriptures: “A great scientist and medical doctor, Dr. Howard A. Kelly (Professor of Gynecology at Johns Hopkins University from 1889 through 1940), was also an avid student of the Bible. He once said, ‘The very best way to study the Bible is simply to read it daily with close attention and with prayer to see the light that shines from its pages, to meditate upon it, and to continue to read it until somehow it works itself, its words, its expressions, its teachings, its habits of thought, and its presentation of God and His Christ into the very warp and woof of one’s being.’”

Some people might believe that only theologians benefit from actively studying scriptures; however the truth is that anyone who prayerfully reads the Bible and meditates upon its teachings will be impressed by the Holy Spirit concerning the truthfulness of God’s word. The same spirit that inspired the prophets will guide our hearts and minds as we seek the will of the Father in His beloved Son—Jesus Christ.

The mistake that many people make is thinking they have to understand everything they read in the Bible all at once. Many scholars and theologians have made understanding the scriptures a life-long pursuit and not one of them claims to know everything there is to know about Christian doctrine. It may take time for many of the Bible teachings to come into focus, but every time we spend a few minutes pondering over the meaning of a text we learn something new. Eventually, these small pieces information will come together to form a clear picture about God and His will for our salvation.

The Life Application Study Bible says, “Imagine reading a familiar passage of scripture and gaining fresh insight, as if it were the first time you had ever read it. How much richer your life would be if you left each Bible reading with a new perspective and a small change for the better. A small change every day adds up to a changed life—and that is the very purpose of Scripture” (2005, p. xvi).

Dr. Billy Graham, one of the most well known Christian evangelists of our time, wrote a Forward for the “What the Bible is all About Bible Handbook” written by Dr. Henrietta Mears, where he gives the following statistics about Bible reading in the end of the 20th Century: “The Bible, the greatest document available for the human race, needs to be opened, read, and believed. One survey indicated that only 12 percent of the people who said they believe the Bible actually read it every day; 34 percent read it only once a week, and 42 percent read it only once in a great while” (1998, p. 10).

If the church of the 21st Century wants to regain its spiritual power to influence the world then it needs to get back to what the Halley’s Bible Handbook calls “a basic Christian habit” (2000, p. 16). Christians not only need to read the bible regularly, but we also need to meditate upon its meaning and make a daily spiritual application of its teaching to our lives as individuals.

“Many Christians do not read the Bible regularly. Why? Because in the pressure of daily living they cannot find a connection between the timeless principles of Scripture and the ever-present problems of daily living” (Life Application, 2005, p. xv). This is why the Bible tells us to 1) Pay attention to the words of God; 2) Learn from the examples He has given to us; 3) Apply what we learn to our individual circumstances (Isaiah 42:23; 1 Corinthians 10:11; 2 Thessalonians 3:4).

By reading the Bible regularly, by meditating upon its meaning, and by applying its teachings we allow the Holy Spirit to write the laws of God upon our heart (Hebrews 8:10) and our mind becomes one with Jesus Christ: “For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ” (Corinthians 2:16).

Stephen Beagles
(January 3, 2013)

03/04/2026

Jesus Our Creator

The first sentence of the first book of the Holy Scripture reveals the origins of the universe, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” (Genesis 1:1).

Moses penned these words as the Spirit of God –the same spirit that “moved upon the face of the waters”—directed his attention to the day God created life on planet Earth. He faithfully recorded what the Holy Spirit told Him about the six days of creation, and he must have been in awe of the power of God who is the source of time, space, energy, and matter. Through Moses we learn that God designed the universe in intricate detail and wrote the laws of physics, chemistry, and biology that make life possible on our planet.

Over fifteen-hundred years after Moses, the Apostle John identifies Jesus Christ as the creator of all life : “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men” (John 1:1-3).

The Apostle Paul knew Jesus as creator and proclaimed, “And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 3:9). He also states in his letter to the Colossians: “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him” (Colossians 1:15).

The author of the Epistle to the Hebrews claims that Jesus created all things, “God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, who he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds” (Hebrews 1:1-2).

The first sentence of the Bible could easily read, “In the beginning Jesus created the heaven and earth.” The savior was not only present at creation, but He created all things that exist. It is even more amazing to consider the hands that fashioned Adam from the dust of the ground would one day be nailed to the wooden cross of Calvary for our sins. The Spirit of God who hovered over the waters during creation now hovers over our spiritual waters of darkness and void. Jesus Christ–The one who created the energy of light–is now the light that brings new life into the world:

“That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name” ~ John 1: 9-12

Stephen Beagles
(December 21, 2012)

03/03/2026

Death Before Defilement

If anyone had a reason to lose faith in God it was Daniel. King Nebuchadnezzar invaded his country and stole him away from his family and friends. He was taken as a royal captive and forced to live in Babylon. He was given a new identity and made to serve the Kingdom that destroyed his way of life. He must have had dark nights of doubt, discouragement, and despair. But even in the midst of all his suffering, Daniel refused to give up faith in God.

Daniel could handle living in a foreign land. He would wear new clothes and learn a new culture. But he refused to eat the unclean food, or drink the intoxicating wine, offered from the King’s table. He decided early on that he would rather die than give up his religious principles: “But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way” (Daniel 1:8). He convinced his guards to allow him and his friends to eat only vegetables and water for ten days, and God blessed the results: “At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food” (Daniel 1:15).

How many of us have the honor, courage, and commitment to stand up for religious principles in the face of death? How many of us could maintain hope and confidence in God in the midst of Daniel’s circumstances? Is our faith strong enough to withstand the trials and tribulations that result from our belief in Jesus Christ?

Jesus said, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it” (Mark 8:9).

Each of us needs to resolve in our own hearts not to defile ourselves by compromising the gospel of Jesus Christ. Even in the darkest of times, God is still directing our paths and we must always trust that God is in control.

Stephen Beagles
(December 8, 2012)