Windsor Elm Haven Seventh-Day Adventist Church

08/26/2026

Dead For A Year

In February 2007, police in Hampton Bays, New York, received a call to investigate a report of a home with burst pipes. Upon entering the home they were stunned to find the partially mummified body of a man who had been dead for more than a year. He was found alone in the house, sitting in a chair in front of his television, which was still on. The Suffolk County medical examiner said Vincenzo Ricardo, 70, apparently died of natural causes. A local morgue assistant said evidently the home’s dry air had helped to preserve his remains.

Ricardo’s wife died years earlier, and he lived alone. He had diabetes and had gone blind, but he was still very independent. The amazing thing is that he hadn’t been heard from in over a year and nobody sounded the alarm. Evidently he had his bills set up to be paid automatically. Still, you would have thought someone would have observed the lights never went off and the TV was constantly blaring. In addition, his mailbox was overflowing and yet no one seemed to notice even though it could be clearly seen by others. Neighbors said they just never thought to check on him. They had assumed Ricardo was in a hospital or nursing home.

It seems that the Bible’s teaching about caring for our neighbor has become a forgotten moral. A lawyer once asked Jesus, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” (Luke 10:25). When Jesus asked what the law taught, the man responded by quoting the Old Testament, including the injunction to love your neighbor. But then he asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?” In this context, Christ told the story of the good Samaritan. In essence, the story points out, “Our neighbor is anyone around us in need.”
How often has the Holy Spirit whispered to your heart to “check on your neighbor”? You might need to see if your neighbors are doing well physically, but don’t neglect to be sensitive to their spiritual well-being. Share literature with people around you. Offer to pray for hurting people you come into contact with. Reach out. Don’t assume everything is fine. They may be dying right next door to you.

Key Bible Texts
And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. (Luke 10:30 KJV)

Amazing Facts Daily Devotional, Aug 5th, 2026

08/19/2026

Good Poverty

At least 80 percent of people around the world live on less than $10 a day. The poorest 40 percent of the world’s population accounts for just five percent of global income. The richest 20 percent accounts for three-quarters of the world’s income. And according to UNICEF, 22,000 children die each day due to poverty. Children are often the quiet sufferers in poverty.
They die quietly in some of the poorest villages on Earth, far from the awareness and conscience of the world. Being weak and meek in life makes these dying masses even more invisible in death. Measles, malaria, and diarrhea are the three biggest killers of children, and they are all preventable. HIV/AIDS has created more than 14 million orphans; 92 percent of them live in Africa.
So how could Jesus say, “Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of God” (Luke 6:20)? Doesn’t Christ have a heart for the poor, especially children? Jesus absolutely cares about the underprivileged. He spent almost all of His ministry reaching out in kindness and love to the sick and dying. Then what does Christ mean when He says, “Blessed are you poor”?
Our Lord is not speaking of physical poverty, but of spiritual poverty. In other words, the kingdom of heaven belongs to those who recognize that there is nothing they can bring to God to ensure salvation except their outstretched hands. No works, no money, no pilgrimages, no “nothing,” will impress God to save you. When we stand before the Lord, we are all “dirt poor.” And that’s a good thing, because to acknowledge our great spiritual need is the first step in receiving God’s free gift of salvation.

Key Bible Texts
Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? (James 2:5 KJV)

08/12/2026

Safety in the Rock
The rock hyrax is a terrestrial mammal that resembles a guinea pig and is found in Israel. As its name reveals, it lives among rocks in which it can quickly escape from predators. The animals are especially known for using sentries that send out alarm calls from high points if a predator comes close.

Hyraxes (called “conies” or “rock badgers” in the Bible) typically live in groups of 10 to 80. Their ability to regulate body temperature is limited, so their activity is related to seasons and times of day. They are short and squatty with a weight of about nine pounds and a length of almost 20 inches. Their thick fur ranges from a dark brown color to a lighter gray, depending on the climate.
Hyrax herds are often subdivided into smaller groups of 5 to 15, with a dominant male who defends and watches over the group. In Africa they are preyed upon by leopards, cobras, adders, wild dogs, and eagles. Yet in Israel the rock hyrax is rarely preyed upon by terrestrial predators because of their excellent system of sentries. This combined with living among the rocks and crags gives them considerable protection.

The Bible says, “There are four things which are little on the earth, But they are exceedingly wise” (Proverbs 30:24). Besides the ant, locust, and spider, the hyrax is listed: “The rock badgers (hyrax) are a feeble folk, Yet they make their homes in the crags” (v. 26).

If you have ever felt small, take heart! Wisdom has nothing to do with our size or strength. We can learn a few lessons from the rock hyrax. The first is to live for others. Be willing to be a “sentry” and share warnings to those you love. And second, learn to live in the shelter of the Rock. Jesus will protect you from the predator (Satan) who is seeking to take you down.

Key Bible Texts
And he said, The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; (2 Samuel 22:2 KJV)

Amazing Facts Daily Devotional, Aug 2nd, 2026

08/05/2026

More Than a Jack of All Trades
In a strategy called “authority positioning,” corporate leaders recommend that businesses present themselves as possessing expertise on one or two particular topics. The idea is that a business does not attempt to be knowledgeable about all things, but rather shows focus and depth on a few topics. In this way, the public comes to consider them the authority on that particular topic and seeks out their business.

In contrast to this strategy is the authority expressed by Jesus. Because of His death and resurrection, He received authority over all things— including the leadership of His church on earth. This means that regardless of the position one holds in the church, all authority flows from Jesus. The work of salvation that He began led to His authority to establish different positions in the first place: “He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers” (Ephesians 4:11).

In order to maintain this authority appropriately, Christ gave the Scriptures to prevent any one person in the church from abusing power. The authority received by Timothy in the early church was based on and guided by his knowledge of salvation through Jesus. This was recognized by the apostle Paul: “From childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:15–17).

This meant that for Timothy, and any other member, the Scriptures were enough to empower and guide any particular work in the church. While not everyone is called to the same kind of work, every person is to rely on the Scriptures.

Apply It:
Ask church leaders and fellow members what type of work in the church fits you best.
Dig Deeper:

Amazing Facts Daily Devotional, July 27th, 2026

08/01/2026

Deadly Beliefs

The three friends never intended that their prank would turn deadly. But when they removed a Florida stop sign in February 1996, three teenagers drove through the intersection and into the path of an eight-ton truck and were killed. The pranksters, all in their early twenties, were sentenced to fifteen years in prison. The stop sign was found on the side of the road near the accident.

Like changing traffic signs, Bible truth was hidden by the established church centuries ago, and it has caused untold confusion and led many into fatal beliefs. The church of Rome based these unscriptural doctrines on tradition, and the outcome was a relentless persecution of dissenters, corruption, and spiritual decline. The Word of God describes her false teachings: “Babylon … has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication” (Revelation 14:8).

The Roman church defined the head of the church on earth as the vicar [substitute] of Christ. Yet the Bible teaches “Christ is the head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body” (Ephesians 5:23). The apostate church also shifted the eyes of church members from the heavenly priesthood of Christ to an earthly priesthood. But the Scriptures state, “We have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God” (Hebrews 4:14).
The fallen church also taught that good works are meritorious and give a person a just claim to salvation. In fact, they asserted that extra good works could be used to benefit others and a shortage of good works could be atoned for in purgatory. Yet God “has saved us … not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace” (2 Timothy 1:9). When we turn away from the signs of truth in the Bible, we put our spiritual lives at risk and will eventually be led down a fatal road.

Apply It:
Have you ever believed something that was false? How did you learn the truth?

Dig Deeper:
Proverbs 14:12; Hebrews 4:14–16; Revelation 18:3

Key Bible Texts
Babylon hath been a golden cup in the LORD’S hand, that made all the earth drunken: the nations have drunken of her wine; therefore the nations are mad. (Jeremiah 51:7 KJV)

Amazing Facts Daily Devotional, July 30th, 2026

07/25/2026

God’s ‘Cloning’ System
Anyone who has served in the military knows the purpose of basic training. The goal is to take a collection of individuals from varied backgrounds and mold them into a unit that works as one. By the end of this basic training, they march in step, perform assigned tasks in the same manner, and support one another. Personalities aren’t erased; rather, they are redirected for the common goal of the team.

That’s not a precise analogy to how the church functions, but it might give you an idea. The church’s chief function is to make disciples who, through the Holy Spirit, reflect the life and mind of Christ. This happens when we “live … by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.”

C.S. Lewis, a Christian writer in the 20th century, put it this way in his book Mere Christianity: “The Church exists for nothing else but to draw men into Christ, to make them little Christs. If they are not doing that, all the cathedrals, clergy, missions, sermons, even the Bible itself, are simply a waste of time. God became Man for no other purpose.”

That’s why the church gathers weekly for worship. That’s why Christian fellowship is supposed to be different than fellowship found at the corner bar. It’s why the church offers ordinances such as baptism and foot washing. And it’s why the church’s emphasis is on instructing believers in what the Bible says.

There are any number of social clubs in the world in which folks can escape the burdens of daily life—centered around sports, hobbies, or other pursuits. But the church was not established to be a social club. It’s God’s hospital for healing wounded souls and His academy for producing saints who’ll uplift the world.

Apply It:
Whenever you attend a worship service—or a church committee or board meeting—remember to build others up and share with them the good news!

Dig Deeper:
Hebrews 10:25; 1 John 1:3, 6, 7; Matthew 28:20

Key Bible Texts
But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. (Matthew 4:4 KJV)

Amazing Facts, Daily Devotional, July 23rd, 2026
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07/16/2026

Mature in Christ

He started out as a bean farmer. Axel Erlandson was born in Sweden, emigrated to Minnesota as a young boy, and then moved once more to California where he married and worked his fields. One day, in 1925, he noticed how some branches in his hedgerow had grown together and it sparked an idea to shape trees as a hobby. He created designs on paper and then pruned, grafted, and bent small trees to train them into unique shapes.

Today, you can observe Erlandson’s astounding work at Gilroy Gardens in California. It features 24 trees that were grown and shaped with multiple trunks, basket-weave patterns, and hearts. Alex kept his methods a secret; when children asked how he got his trees to grow like this, he would reply, “I talk to them.”

Erlandson was called a tree shaper, but there is a spiritual arborist who bends, prunes, grafts, and shapes lives to perfection. Through the work of the Holy Spirit, God is perfecting a people into His image (Ephesians 3:16, 19). The Bible word for perfect in Hebrew is tam or tamim and means “complete,” “wholesome,” and “blameless.” The Greek word for perfect is teleios and means “full-grown,” “mature,” and “having attained its purpose.”

Noah, Abraham, and Job were described as perfect and blameless (Genesis 6:9; 17:1; Job 1:1, 😎, though each had imperfections. In the New Testament, perfect describes mature people who have lived up to the best available light and reached the potential of their spiritual, mental, and physical powers. Paul explains, “Brethren, do not be children in understanding; however, in malice be babes, but in understanding be mature [teleioi]” (1 Corinthians 14:20).

We can never claim perfection in our own power, for it is through the Holy Spirit that we become like Christ in character. In horticultural words, Jesus captured it well: “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

Apply It:
The next time you plant a seed, remember Christ’s plan and power to grow you into His mature likeness.

Dig Deeper:
Ephesians 4:13, 14; Philippians 3:15; Hebrews 5:14

Key Bible Texts
Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. (Matthew 5:48 KJV)

Amazing Facts, Daily Devotional, July 3rd, 2026

07/10/2026

07/09/2026

Our Full Stature in Christ
Can you predict how tall a child will end up being as an adult? Some people would say, “Sure, just take a look at the parents.” But it’s more complex than that. Several factors are at play, including the growth of other family members, when the child reaches puberty, chronic illnesses that he or she may have had, and nutrition intake.

Pediatricians track a child’s height and weight with every checkup so they can plot their growth on a chart and compare it with what is typical for healthy boys and girls. Genes play a large role in determining how tall you will be. Girls start their growth spurt around age 9 to 10, with their fastest growth peaking around age 12. Boys start their growth spurt around age 11 and hit their peak at 13.

The Bible describes a transformation that will take place in our bodies at the Second Coming. We are not only justified in Christ and sanctified by the Holy Spirit, but we will be glorified when Jesus returns. Paul describes this: “If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you” (Romans 8:11).

This final redemption is something we can look forward to when Jesus returns. Paul explains, “The earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God” (v. 19). Then he adds, “Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body” (v. 23).

While God desires that we keep growing each day, we may be completely perfect now in Christ. Yet our ultimate transformation will take place when Jesus comes again. Until then, we should be careful about our “height,” as Paul warned, “Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall” (1 Corinthians 10:12).

Apply It:
How tall are you? How tall do you think you will be in the kingdom of heaven?

Dig Deeper:
Mark 4:28; 1 Corinthians 15:35–58; Ephesians 4:13

Key Bible Texts
Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: (Ephesians 4:13 KJV)

Amazing Facts, Daily Devotional, July 7th, 2026

07/02/2026

Free From Expectations
While there are a number of serious disadvantages to the high expectations that women feel concerning their appearance, criticism of these expectations appears to be backfiring. One of the latest responses to these expectations has been called “beauty-standard denialism.” This is roughly defined as speaking as though there are no expectations for beauty, when in fact they are as prevalent as ever.
The transformation that the Holy Spirit brings is both beautiful and, in some respects, a call for renouncing an unhealthy obsession with outward beauty. Peter encourages, “Do not let your adornment be merely outward … rather let it be the hidden person of the heart” (1 Peter 3:3, 4). Paul described the transformation that the Spirit brings: “To be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace” (Romans 8:6).
To be carnally minded is to allow unhealthy obsessions to take control. The reverse of this is to allow the Holy Spirit to guide us into a life of freedom, for “where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty” (2 Corinthians 3:17). This means that when our desires seem out of control, or our culture is trying to constrain us, we receive the power to redirect our attention. What becomes central to us is pleasing God.
This does not mean that God wants us to be disengaged from the world around us. Otherwise, Jesus would not have said to the Father: “I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one” (John 17:15). Most Christians will face situations where discerning the right thing to do is not easy. However, part of the promised growth is the guidance of the Holy Spirit: “When He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment” (John 16:8). When we rely on the Holy Spirit for moral guidance, He will teach us how to draw people to Jesus without becoming trapped.
Apply It:
Redirect the attention of someone who is unnecessarily worried.
Dig Deeper:
John 14:17; Galatians 5:22, 23; 2 Corinthians 3:17, 18
Key Bible Texts
Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. (John 3:5 KJV)

Amazing Facts, Daily Devotional, July 1st, 2026