AMEN 2024: By His Spirit

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Adventist Medical Evangelism Network (AMEN)

Morning Devotions

Brian Schwartz

By His Spirit: Daily

Father in heaven, we thank You for this new day of life, the opportunity to come together again for the 20th Amen Conference.

We thank You how You have blessed, and we just pray that as we pause and spend a few moments this morning reflecting on your word in stories of how you have worked that our hearts will be turned towards you and we will be receptive to hear your voice.

May we be touched by your spirit, we pray in Jesus' name, Amen.

Well as I've learned over the years to become comfortable praying with patience, it's possible to just go into work and say a prayer and almost make it rote.

And in keeping with our theme, by his Spirit I have come to realize that if I am not taking the time in my morning devotions, in my devotional life, in my personal study, then that's about as far as it's going to go.

It's going to be a brief little conversation.

The patients will appreciate it, but it doesn't necessarily get to a deeper part of their heart.

This morning, I thought I would share a patient encounter and then compare that to Jesus and how he met people's needs.

Jesus saw in every soul 1 to whom must be given the call to his kingdom.

He reached the hearts of people by going among them as 1 who desired their good.

He sought them in the public streets, in private houses, on the boats, in the synagogue, by the shores of the lake, and at the marriage feast.

He met them at their daily vocations and manifested an interest in their secular affairs.

He carried his instruction into the household, bringing families in their own homes under the influence of his divine presence.

His strong personal sympathy helped to win hearts.

There are many people we encounter, and I sometimes have not had the idea that I need to reach every single 1, but that was what Jesus did.

Well, last week, actually this developed over several weeks, but about 3 weeks ago, actually, I had a patient that I'll call John who is 62 years old.

He does have pre-diabetes, high cholesterol and hypertension and he presented to our emergency room with crushing chest pain.

He was very, very uncomfortable, a little bit unstable.

Before, as I took him to the cath lab emergently, I just said a simple prayer with him.

And like most of my patients, he got tears in his eyes.

We went ahead and referred him for heart surgery, and so he had a three-vessel bypass surgery.

Some of my stories are from years ago, but this 1 just happened.

And so, just a week ago, and he is feeling still the pain from his surgery.

He is just feeling overwhelmed with all the lifestyle changes he needs to make.

He's kind of a little bit of a depressed person.

He's feeling weak and he's in this cloud thinking is there light at the end of the tunnel?

And So he turns to me and he says, Doc, you're a Christian, I have a question.

Now, usually the first question that my patients ask me is after I pray with them.

After I pray with them, they'll ask the question, what church do you go to?

And so he's been feeling horrible and he said, what do you suppose?

Now I don't know about you, but I get this question sometimes directly asked to me, but often in patient rounds and in just hearing patients in the waiting room, just hearing even families talking together, I hear this question over and over.

Here's a quote from Christ Object Lessons page 41 that I have appreciated.

So, it is the darkness of misapprehension of God that has enshrouded the world.

Men are losing their knowledge of his character.

At this time, a message from God is to be proclaimed.

A message illuminating in its influence, in saving in its power.

Into the darkness of the world is to be shed the light of his glory, the light of his goodness in mercy in truth." Christ Object Lessons, page 415.

I don't know if you've noticed, I certainly noticed, but God seems to get blamed for everything.

A recent hurricane in Florida, what do we call it?

God gets blamed right from the very beginning.

The devil has twisted everything that he can in our culture about God.

God is going to burn you forever and ever if you don't do what he wants you to do.

God doesn't care about you, and in fact God is cursing you with disease.

And this patient of mine is, actually goes to a Christian church, but he's asking these questions.

And fortunately, I had just reflected on some Bible verses in particular, I had actually prayed that God could use me as I minister to my patients.

And actually, this was the second of an amazing encounter that very morning, last week ago, Thursday.

The other 1 was with a seminary professor who didn't want to come see me because he didn't want to give up his meat, and we had this amazing conversation about the Old and the New Testament.

And in the end he's like, okay I'm gonna do what you say.

But let's turn, if you have your Bibles, over to John chapter 9.

This passage we've recently looked at in our Sabbath school quarterly, I have been reflecting on it, and it kind of raises a little bit of the aspects of what we're talking about with my patient John.

And so as Jesus passed by, John chapter 9 verse 1, he saw a man who was blind from birth and his disciples asked him saying, Rabbi, who sinned, this man?

And Jesus answered, Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.

I must work the works of him who sent me while it is day.

As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world." And when he had said these things, he spat on the ground.

He made clay with his saliva, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with clay.

And he said to him, go wash in the pool of Shalom, so that he went and washed." Now it's kind of curious that in this particular case Jesus didn't speak a word, he made clay.

It's almost as if the man was missing his eyeballs and he needed his eyeballs recreated.

And Jesus used the very same method of creation that he used when he formed man in the Garden of Eden.

But Jesus's disciples were believing that bad things happen to people because they sin.

And Jesus rejects that notion altogether.

We don't have time this morning to go through the whole passage, but it's interesting to me to see Christ's method.

He met the man with his needs, his physical needs.

And as soon as that happens, this seems to happen with our patients as well, is once they've had an encounter with Jesus, once they understand that this has been a supernatural healing, they can't help but go tell people.

He goes to the synagogue, he's arguing with the Pharisees who don't want to admit that he could possibly have been healed by Jesus.

He ends up saying, do you want to believe in him also?

And later he comes back to Jesus and Jesus says, do you believe in the Son of God?

And in verse 36, the man who's received his sight said, who is he Lord that I may believe in him?

And Jesus said to him, you have both seen him and it is he who is talking to you.

And then he said, Lord, I believe, and he worshiped him.

And Jesus said, For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind.

When this man was healed by Jesus, his heart was receptive to have a relationship with Jesus.

There was no doubt about it and it's as if because of what he had experienced, he was ready to accept everything that Jesus was offering.

And so back to my patient, back to my patient John.

Jonathon Thorp

By His Spirit: Go!

Oh, kind Heavenly Father, thank you this morning for another day of life and the privilege that we have to gather this morning to open your holy scriptures.

And I pray that your spirit will be upon us this morning and that we will sense a clearer understanding of the calling you've placed in each 1 of our hearts and minds.

So please, put me behind your cross and speak through me, I pray this morning in the name of Jesus, amen.

I am blessed to be a father to 4 wonderful little kids.

And it's amazing how much energy these little bodies have.

These kids can go from 06:00 in the morning until 08:00, 09:00 at night, nonstop, and dad and mom are like, we can't barely keep up with you.

And they have this favorite little book of theirs that is called Freight Train.

And I think of my kids going all day long, and the book ends in the words, going, going, God.

And It's exciting to see how our bodies are made.

I'm wondering who has gotten their walk or exercise in this morning?

Wow, okay, good, a couple hands, excellent.

It's not by choice, it's woven into our inner being.

God has intended to us move, and he has designed us and etched it into our bodies that we are not to remain still, we are to move.

God has created our beautiful bodies with 206 bones to give us strength.

He's created over 900 ligaments to align us with purpose, and he has created 600 muscles to work in glorious harmony, pulling and pushing in concert.

And yet our creator in his infinite wisdom knew that it wasn't just muscles, ligaments, and bones that would allow us to move, but it was the interplay between our nervous system and our muscular skeletal system that would allow us to move with purpose and with precision.

For it's our visual system that we see the path that God has laid before us.

It's with the pressure sensors and the proprioceptors that we reveal and understand our location in space and our vestibular system that allows us to keep steady when the road gets rocky.

All these systems, linked by miles and miles of electrical connections, fired by millions of neurons and interconnected by billions of neural connections, keep us moving.

Every part perfectly designed and competent declares you were made to move.

And when we look at Bible, we see a number of different examples of movement.

They moved with purpose throughout the land that God had called them to.

The Israelites walked out of oppression in Egypt and then tragically centuries later, because of decisions, walked back into oppression with walking 900 miles from Israel to Babylon.

Joseph, Mary, and Jesus, by the Spirit, were led to Egypt.

And then, of course, we see the example of the Gospels where the disciples were sent out 2 by 2 and 1 by 1 to go and to spread and blanket the world, teaching, healing, and preaching.

The command to go and to spread the gospel is the rallying cry for us as an Advent movement, and I'd like to invite you to turn with me this morning to Matthew chapter 28 verses 19 and 20, and I suspect that many of you could probably recite these words from memory.

Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son of the Holy Spirit, and teach them to obey everything I have commanded you, and surely I am with you to the very end of the age." God has given us a clear call to go.

The word go in this context literally means to traverse, to travel, to depart, to make a journey or to take a walk.

It's not a suggestion to remain stationary.

For instance, This same verb is used with the wise men journeyed to witness the birth of Jesus.

It was used when Joseph was instructed to take Mary and Jesus and lead them to Egypt into safety.

In the parable of the good shepherd, when the shepherd goes forth, it is the same word that he uses to go and describe how he rescues that 1 single lost sheep.

Each 1 of these examples clearly emphasize movement and purpose.

And in speaking these words on the olive, Jesus was making it clear that He intended us to act.

The application of this command is profound.

It implies physical action, it does not imply stagnation.

Jesus didn't simply want us to sit idly still.

He assigned us specific tasks of discipleship, of conversion, and of education.

He didn't leave room for inaction, such as being the armchair Monday morning quarterback, critiquing our church leaders and complaining about everything within the church.

No, instead he envisioned a purpose behind our movement, meeting and connecting with people, leading them into meaningful conversations about Christ, and teaching 1 another about the truth of the Bible.

This is not, this is not aimless activity.

It is about purposeful advancement of his kingdom.

And I believe it also highlights the individual opportunity and impact and importance of personal participation in the call to action.

In Desire of Ages it is written, it's fatal mistake to suppose that the work of saving souls depends alone on the ordained minister.

All to whom the heavenly inspiration has come are to put in trust with the gospel.

All who receive the life of Christ are ordained to work for the salvation of their fellow men.

For this work, for this work, the church was established and all who take upon themselves the sacred vows are thereby pledged to be coworkers with Christ.

And as I have studied this imperative to go, I've come to a greater understanding and appreciation of the application of this powerful command.

And I'd like to illustrate this framework by imagining that you are 1 of my kids dropping a petal, a rock, into water and seeing the ripple effects.

I propose this morning that there are 3 concentric circles to the Go!

As we look at the example of Christ's life, Christ came from heaven, he went, he was sent, he was given to come to this earth, and he was born in that home, and it wasn't without mistake that the most of his life, 30 years was spent in the home, ministering in the home.

And as a child, he obediently obeyed his parents.

He ministered to his parents, because let me tell you, when you have kids that stretch you in every way and test your patience, it can be challenging.

And I believe that he ministered to his parents by his character.

As he was a young man, working with his father in the shop and learning the skills of woodworking, I believe he entered into conversation with his earthly father and taught him.

As he matured and he grew and he was a teenager, or a adult, as we use that term now, he worked in his home, he grew in wisdom, and knowledge, and in favor with God and man.

And we can see how he faithfully fulfilled those commands within the home environment.

The work that we do in our homes, professionals, young parents particularly, is crucial.

It shapes our families, it influences the world.

Inspiration reminds us that restoration and uplifting of humanity begins in the home.

The success of society, the church, and nation hinges on home influences, and with parents as the first missionaries to their children.

Physicians, surgeons, dentists, healthcare professionals, we are called to follow the example of Christ to go to our families, number 1.

Jesus devoted most of his life and ministry caring for his family.

And up until the moment of the cross, he looked at his mother and said to John, take her and care for her.

Circle number 2, as you ripple out, is to the community.

We are called and we are invited to go to the area around us.

And when we look at the example of Christ, he started ministry right in Galilee, in the area where he lived and grew up.

No, it wasn't, you know, after his baptism and temptation, he worked within his community.

He didn't get on a donkey or a horse or somewhere else and go to some far off place.

And when he sent out the disciples, he said to do the same thing.

Look at the example, Luke chapter 9 and Luke chapter 10, where he sent out the 12 to the surrounding communities, and then to the 72, also to the surrounding communities, into local areas.

Jesus emphasized the ministry extends beyond 1 location.

It reaches to our neighbors hoods and towns.

He calls us to follow that example moving from our homes into our communities based on the foundation that we have laid in our homes.

By His Spirit, we embrace the role of this divine mission, sharing Christ's light and impacting those around us.

But the third circle of this command to go is to the world.

And he didn't just tell us to go, he empowered us to go and to reach the world, leading some of his followers to the most furthest and remotest locations on this earth.

I think of the story of an example, the Waterbrook family last night, how God had did a 180 degree turn and sent them to rural remote Africa.

This third concentric circle of the Go command is made even clearer in Acts chapter 1 verses 7 and 8.

Please turn with me to Acts chapter 1 verses 7 and 8 and let us look closely at the words that he has said there.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all of Judea and Samaria and to the, what, ends of the earth.

Jesus didn't just say, go, I wish you the best luck.

He didn't instruct them to depart and just casually throw out, good luck, go forth and go.

Phil Mills

Two Keys of Effective Medical Evangelism

In our study this morning together, we're going to study 2 keys of effective medical evangelism.

And just before we do it, let's just bow our heads for a moment of prayer.

We've been talking about your Holy Spirit.

But this morning, we pray for a deep outpouring.

Help me as I'm sharing, that I share not just facts and not something for others, but I pray that you'll speak to my heart as you speak to others.

Lord we need a change and I pray that this morning those son of righteousness that we saw the Son help us to have the Son inside here in Christ's name we pray amen.

Act 16 is a rich and important chapter for medical evangelists.

Thorpe began yesterday in Acts 16, Verse 6.

Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia.

Well, it was a small, self-supporting, gospel medical evangelistic team being led by Paul and Silas.

It also had become an educational team because Timothy had just joined them in Lystra to be trained in Gospel Medical Missionary Evangelism.

Paul, Silas, Timothy had gone through Phrygia and Galatia.

They now planned to go southwest to a pagan culture that needed Christ.

The geographic area they were forbidden to enter and evangelize contained important Roman cities, including the 7 cities of Revelation, Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, Laodicea.

It also included Colossae, which is only 9 miles from Laodicea and his sister city.

But like a farmer, God knows when soil is ready or fruit is ripe." On Paul's next missionary touring, he did go to this area.

He headquartered in Ephesus for 3 years and evangelized the region with great effectiveness.

And That brings us to the first key in effective medical evangelism.

It's found in letters and manuscripts, letter 255, 1903.

That which is most needed by medical missionary workers is the guidance of the Spirit of the Lord.

But was it really the Holy Spirit that was forbidding them?

We know that God never counterdicts Himself.

Wasn't this contradicting Jesus' parting command to His followers, go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature?

No, The same Jesus who gave the command to go also told the disciples, don't go.

Tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.

Thorpe reviewed with us yesterday, there is a time to witness in Jerusalem.

There's a time to witness in all Judea and Samaria.

There's a time to go to the uttermost parts of the earth.

There's a time to preach the word in Asia, and there's a time not to.

January 5, 1899, Ellen White wrote to Dr.

John Harvey Kellogg, the leader of our medical work at that time.

It is the very essence of all right faith to do the right thing at the right time.

Medical missionaries need divine guidance to know when, where, and how to reach the world.

We can see an example of this in our own medical offices when we select appropriate religious matter for reading in our waiting room.

Ellen White wrote to a minister, Elder Sharp Smith, In some places, she said, there is a need of publication of the whole truth.

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