The
Stake of the Great Conflict
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Here is already our last lesson! Let's pray together:
Father,
This is now the conclusion of this set of Bible lessons. Time goes by so quickly when we
immerse ourselves in the study of Your Word!
We thank You, Lord, for having guided us by Your Holy Spirit, and for having revealed to
us so many precious truths.
Please accompany us once again, and show us the stake of the great conflict that is now
taking place in our world.
We thank You again for everything You have done for us. In Jesus Christ we pray.
Amen.
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Revelation 12:12
Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the
devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.
1 Peter 5:8
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil
walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
Knowing that he has been defeated by Jesus' death and resurrection, Satan seeks
only one thing: to take along with him the greatest number of people toward eternal
perdition.
And he will use any possible means to succeed.
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2 Corinthians 2:10,11
For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven
that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ, lest Satan should take advantage of us;
for we are not ignorant of his devices.
Ephesians 6:11
Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to
stand against the wiles of the devil.
Satan pursues only one goal: to keep us away from God, by his lies, wiles, and
snares, so that we lose sight of eternal life which God offers us by grace through faith
in Jesus Christ.
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2 Timothy 4:3,4
For the time will come when they will not endure sound
doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will
heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be
turned aside to fables.
Proverbs 14:12
There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is
the way of death.
Deceived by Satan, men often believe that many ways lead to eternal life.
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John 14:6
Jesus said to [Thomas],
«I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.»
Acts 4:11,12
[Jesus] is the stone which was rejected by you builders,
which has become the chief cornerstone.
Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among
men by which we must be saved.
But the Word of God is straightforward. There is only ONE way leading to
eternal life: Jesus Christ.
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While Satan seeks to destroy us, God seeks to save us:
«"For I have no pleasure in the death of one who
dies," says the Lord God. "Therefore turn and live!"» (EZEKIEL 18:32)
«Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked
forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, and He
will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.» (ISAIAH 55:6,7)
«Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is
any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.» (PSALM 139:23,24)
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John 20:31
These are written that you may believe that Jesus is the
Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.
John 3:16
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten
Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
Each one of us must therefore make a decision: to accept or to reject God's
offer of salvation in Jesus Christ.
This invaluable offer of salvation is now nourishing a great conflict pitting Christ
against Satan.
And what is at stake in this great conflict? Each one of us.
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We must take a stand either for Christ, or against Christ:
«I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you,
that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life.»
(DEUTERONOMY 30:19)
«If it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will
serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the
River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house we
will serve the Lord.» (JOSHUA 24:15)
«You shall again discern between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God
and one who does not serve Him.» (MALACHI 3:18)
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There are only two groups: for and against God. No one can remain
neutral.
«He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does
not gather with Me scatters abroad.» (MATTHEW 12:30)
«They shall lift up their voice, they shall sing. (...) From the ends of the earth we
have heard songs: "Glory to the righteous!" But I said, "I am ruined,
ruined! Woe to me!"» (ISAIAH 24:14,16)
«"Because, when I called, you did not answer; when I spoke, you did not hear, but
did evil before My eyes, and chose that in which I do not delight." Therefore thus
says the Lord God: "Behold, My servants shall eat, but you shall be hungry; behold,
My servants shall drink, but you shall be thirsty; behold, My servants shall rejoice, but
you shall be ashamed."» (ISAIAH 65:12,13)
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Mark 13:13
[Jesus said,] «You will be hated by all men for My
name's sake. But he who endures to the end shall be saved.»
1 Peter 4:16
Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be
ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.
2 Timothy 3:12
And all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will
suffer persecution.
God does not hide from us that following Him will sometimes be difficult...
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Psalm 55:22
Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you;
He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.
Matthew 28:20
[Jesus said,]
«I am with you always, even to the end of the age.»
... but if we sincerely want to follow God, whatever the difficulties may be,
He promises that He will never forsake us.
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We can always rely on God's presence by our side:
«Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am
your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous
right hand.» (ISAIAH 41:10)
«Can a woman forget her nursing child, and not have compassion on the son of her womb?
Surely they may forget, yet I will not forget you. See, I have inscribed you on the palms
of My hands.» (ISAIAH 49:15,16)
«For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself
strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.» (2 CHRONICLES 16:9)
«[Jesus said,] "He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me
you can do nothing."» (JOHN 15:5)
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1 Corinthians 12:12,26,27
For as the body is one and has many members, but all the
members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. (...)
If one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all
the members rejoice with it.
Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.
God's support is also expressed through the other Christians who share our
faith.
We make up the body of Christ, His Church, and each one of us has a role to play within
it, as a member of this body.
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Hebrews 10:24,25
Let us consider one another in order to stir up love and
good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some,
but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
It is therefore essential to find a congregation of believers sharing our
faith, and join them.
Regular meeting together is strongly recommended, since it is the way to encourage one
another.
And this is even more important as we «see the Day approaching».
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Matthew 13:45,46
[Jesus said,] «The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant
seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold
all that he had and bought it.»
1 John 5:11
God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His
Son.
Hebrews 2:3
How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?
The pearl of great price, which we must cherish above all things, is salvation
in Jesus Christ.
It is important not to delay our decision to accept this precious salvation, especially
since Jesus is coming soon.
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Daniel 12:1-3: Jesus will soon return to
gather His people!
At that time Michael shall stand up, the great prince who
stands watch over the sons of your people; and there shall be a time of trouble, such as
never was since there was a nation, even to that time.
And at that time your people shall be delivered, every one who is found written in the
book.
And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting
life, some to shame and everlasting contempt.
Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, and those who turn
many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever.
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Matthew 28:19,20
[Jesus said,]
«Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I
have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.»
2 Corinthians 5:20
Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ.
While we are waiting for Jesus' return, each one of us must work for Him,
teaching the people around us the way to salvation in Jesus Christ.
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Isaiah 48:17,18
Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of
Israel,
«I am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you by the way you should
go.
Oh, that you had heeded My commandments! Then your peace would have been like a river, and
your righteousness like the waves of the sea.»
Deuteronomy 5:29
Oh, that they had such a heart in them that they would
fear Me and always keep all My commandments, that it might be well with them and with
their children forever!
We also have to seek, day after day, to better understand God's will for each
one of us, for the only way leading to happiness is the way God shows us.
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Psalm 119:9
How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed
according to Your word.
Proverbs 4:11
I have taught you in the way of wisdom; I have led you in
right paths.
Psalm 143:10
Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God; Your Spirit
is good. Lead me in the land of uprightness.
If we earnestly seek the truth, God will clearly show us the way to follow.
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Romans 12:2
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by
the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect
will of God.
Romans 13:11
And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time
to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.
Let us therefore always seek to better conform our will to God's will.
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James 1:22-25: We must know God's word AND
put it into practice.
Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving
yourselves.
For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his
natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what
kind of man he was.
But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a
forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.
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2 Timothy 3:14,15
But as for you, continue in the things which you have
learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from
childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for
salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
Micah 6:8
He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the
Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?
Acts 22:16
And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and
wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.
We hope and pray that this set of Bible lessons bring you to take a stand for
Christ, and to demonstrate your commitment to Him through baptism.
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Hebrews 10:37-39
«For yet a little while, and He who is coming will come
and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith; but if anyone draws back, My soul
has no pleasure in him.»
But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving
of the soul.
Revelation 22:12
And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with
Me, to give to every one according to his work.
Finally, let's faithfully persevere in our covenant with God.
Very soon, our blissful hope will come true: the glorious return of Jesus Christ, our
Savior and Lord!
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Let's close this set of lessons by thanking our Savior and Lord:
Our Father in heaven,
You are blessed forever and ever!
By Your Word, You have taught us that a great conflict currently rages between You and
Satan, and that each one of us is at stake in this conflict.
But from this very moment, we want to take a stand for You, our God, by accepting Your Son
Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord of our life.
May Your Spirit always accompany us, working within us day after day, so that we may
reflect Your divine character and be ready for the great Day of the return of Jesus
Christ.
In His precious name we pray.
Amen.
Source of the Pictures of this Lesson
Screen 1: Picture collection «ClickArt 65,000» by Broderbund,
CD #4, NATFL017.JPG. Screen 2: In: «The Watchtower» magazine (February
1, 1986), New York, Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, p.16. Screen 3: In:
«The Watchtower» magazine (December 1, 1991), Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, p.9.
Screen 4: KNOX, Harry. In: «Ministry» magazine (June-July 2000), Seventh-day
Adventist Ministerial Association, p.19. Screen 5: GREENE, Nathan. In:
«Signs of the Times» magazine (July 1990), Pacific Press Publishing Association, p.10.
Screen 6: ANDERSON, Harry. In: «Votre Bible et Vous» (MAXWELL, Arthur S.),
Press Publishing Association, p.104,105. Screen 7: JUSTINEN, Lars. In:
«La Sentinelle» magazine (April 1995), Pacific Press Publishing Association, p.13.
Screen 8: ANDERSON, Harry. In: «The Triumph of God's Love, volume 1» (WHITE,
Ellen G.), Pacific Press Publishing Association and Review and Herald Publishing
Association, 1950, p.322. Screen 9: In: «The Watchtower» magazine (May
15, 1990), Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, p.8,9. Composite picture by Cyberspace
Ministry. Screen 10: GREENE, Nathan. In: «Signs of the Times» magazine
(unknown date), Pacific Press Publishing Association. Screen 11: ZINGARO,
Charles. In: «Votre Bible et Vous» (MAXWELL, Arthur S.), Press Publishing Association,
p.125. Screen 12: RAPHAEL. «The Vision of Ezekiel», Pitti Palace,
Florence. In: «Great Bible Stories and Master Paintings» (RACHLEFF, Owen S.), New York,
Abradale Press Publishers, p.221. Screen 13: Photo from
Fisher/Fotogram-Stone. In: «Le Moniteur», Pacific Press Publishing Association, Fourth
Quarter, 1996, front cover. Screen 14: In: «Canadian Adventist
Messenger» magazine (Special issue - «Welcome to the Family»), SDA Church in Canada,
front cover. Screen 15: Photo by KREYE, Eric. In: «La Sentinelle»
magazine (July 1993), Pacific Press Publishing Association, p.6. Screen 16: In:
«The Watchtower» magazine (April 15, 1987), Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, p.8,9.
Screen 17: STEEL, John. In: «The Triumph of God's Love, volume 2» (WHITE, Ellen
G.), Pacific Press Publishing Association and Review and Herald Publishing Association,
1950, inside cover. Screen 18: In: «Adventist Review» (unknown date).
Advertisement for the church program «Health, Healing, Hope». Screen 19: In:
«The Watchtower» magazine (June 1, 1988), Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, p.7.
Screen 20: HERANDEZ, Omar Andres. In: «Ministry» magazine (June-July 2000),
Seventh-day Adventist Ministerial Association, p.26. Screen 21: In:
«Questionnaire Adulte de l'Ecole du Sabbat», Pacific Press Publishing Association, First
Quarter, 1996, front cover. Screen 22: Photo by Betty Blue and Duane
Tank. In: «La Sentinelle» magazine (July 1990), Pacific Press Publishing Association,
p.7. Screen 23: In: «The Watchtower» magazine (July 1, 1986), Watch
Tower Bible and Tract Society, p.24. Screen 24: JUSTINEN, Lars. In:
«Questionnaire Adulte de l'Ecole du Sabbat», Pacific Press Publishing Association, Third
Quarter, 1996, front cover. Screen 25: Picture collection «ClickArt
65,000» by Broderbund, CD #4, NATTR032.JPG.
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The test of Lesson 41 is waiting for you!