Do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. —Joshua 1:9
They stand in the cold by the thousands in Times Square, New York City. What draws them to that place? There’s no sporting event or rock concert. There’s just a huge lighted ball that drops down a pole on top of a building. It takes only a few seconds, and it hardly seems worth fighting traffic and subway crunch to see—except that it happens on New Year’s Eve.
Why have we created a holiday over such a nonevent? Other holidays celebrate famous birthdays or historical milestones or something. New Year’s Eve just celebrates the passage of time. We make such a fuss because it signals the end of an old era and the beginning of a new one. The old year’s problems and struggles become a dim memory when we think of getting a fresh start. (more…)

Happy is the man who finds wisdom. . . . She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her. —Proverbs 3:13,18
In a biting comment, one philosopher said of another that he was “the greatest of thinkers and the most petty of men.” We admire individuals of high intelligence, but we certainly wouldn’t want that statement to be said about us.
Better by far to be an ordinary person who by God’s grace reflects Christ’s character. Better not to be a mental giant who is spiritually petty. (more…)

The generous soul will be made rich, and he who waters will also be watered himself. —Proverbs 11:25
A U.S. News & World Report cover story explored the subject of happiness. According to the article, scientists have found that “strong marriages, family ties, and friendships predict happiness, as do spirituality and self-esteem. Hope is crucial, as is the feeling that life has meaning.” But what if some of these elements are missing in our lives? Researchers say that “helping people be a little happier can jump-start a process that will lead to stronger relationships, renewed hope, and general upward spiraling of happiness.” (more…)

These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. —John 15:11
Writer C. W. Metcalf was working as a hospice volunteer when he met 13-year-old Chuck, who was terminally ill. One day Chuck gave Metcalf half a dozen sheets of paper with writing on both sides and said, “I want you to give this to my mom and dad after I die. It’s a list of all the fun we had, all the times we laughed.” Metcalf was amazed that this young boy on the verge of death was thinking about the well-being of others.
Metcalf delivered the list. Years later he decided to make a list of his own. Surprisingly, he found it difficult at first to compile his “joy list.” But as he began looking each day for the moments of laughter, satisfaction, and joy, his list began to grow. (more…)

Give hope… Donate where it’s needed most. Provide emergency relief by giving household kits to people living in camps.

A recent assessment of the affected areas in Indonesia has determined that there is a high need for shelter, non food items, and medical assistance as hundreds of people are living in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps set up by the government, where as many as 80 people are living under one roof. Required items include (more…)

Special Sabbath Service

Nov. 21 for Hinsdale Men’s Chorus Reunion

  (more…)

HMC ReUnion Information

            November 20-21, 2009

            Hinsdale Seventh-day Adventist Church

            201 North Oak

            Hinsdale, Illinois 60521
 

Accommodations: (more…)

He does great things, and unsearchable, marvelous things without number. —Job 5:9
Among the wonders of Jamaica is a body of water called Luminous Lagoon. By day, it is a nondescript bay on the country’s northern coast. By night, it is a marvel of nature.
If you visit there after dark, you notice that the water is filled with millions of phosphorescent organisms. Whenever there is movement, the water and the creatures in the bay glow. When fish swim past your boat, for example, they light up like waterborne fireflies. As the boat glides through the water, the wake shines brightly. (more…)

Reports just in indicate that the
Seventh-day Adventist Seminary and College at Farooqabad, near Lahore has come under attack by six Taliban fighters.  Aftab Barki, accounts clerk at the South England Conference of Seventh-day Adventists based in Watford, England, has been in contact with his father who is head of security at the college.  He reports that thankfully the police and army intelligence were able to give staff prior warning of the attack allowing students and staff to be evacuated from the campus.  Pastor Petras Bahadur, one of our SEC ministers is also closely monitoring the situation. His brother, PastorPervaiz Bahadur currently serves as Vice President for Academic affairs at the seminary and college. The situation remains critical and prayers are being requested on behalf of the students and staff. The staff are currently working closely with the security forces. 

For more information on the Campus itself click here

What is man that You are mindful of him? —Psalm 8:4
The song “Who Am I?” by Mark Hall of the musical group Casting Crowns, begins: “Who am I, that the Lord of all the earth would care to know my name, would care to feel my hurt?”
In this song, Hall compares our lives to “a flower quickly fading, here today and gone tomorrow . . . a vapor in the wind.” He reflects, “When we understand how small we really are and how awesome God is, then God’s love becomes bigger to us.”
I am reminded of David’s question in Psalm 8. When he considered the heavens, the moon, and the stars, he was amazed by the God of the universe who created them and holds them together. In awe, he asked, What is man that You are mindful of him?” (v.4). (more…)

Blessed is he who considers the poor; the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble. —Psalm 41:1
You may have heard of the blessings Jesus spoke of in His Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:1-10). Here’s a “blessing” from the Old Testament that is less well-known: “Blessed is he who considers the poor” (Psalm 41:1).
The Hebrew word translated “considers” means “to take thought for others.” The word translated “poor” means “those in need.”
There are many people around us who are poor—in love, in hope, and in the knowledge of God. Even though we cannot solve all their problems, we can show them that we care. (more…)

I am persuaded that [nothing] shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. —Romans 8:38-39 While shopping in a nearby tourist town, I wandered into a small store stuffed with clothing and other items all marked with the slogan “Life is good.” Sometimes we need to remind ourselves of that simple truth. When the work of earning a living, raising a family, maintaining health and fitness, and managing relationships starts to overwhelm us, it’s good to think about how small our part in the universe really is. While we obsess over our work, God quietly does His. He keeps the earth rotating, the planets revolving, and the seasons changing. Without any help from us, He makes the sun rise every morning and set every evening. (more…)

Hinsdale Men’s Chorus at the Kenneth Cox Ministries on 3ABN Television.

from 07.09.2009 – 07.12.2009 Thompsonville, Franklin, Illinois.

  (more…)

Whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, … meditate on these things. —Philippians 4:8
The image on the TV screen captures our attention and we sit down to watch. As we flip from channel to channel, is there any connection between what we decide to watch and what is in our heart? Does our faith in Christ have anything at all to do with our TV choices?
In a world of falling standards, we must think through this question: How does our relationship with Christ affect our TV viewing habits?
One secular writer speaking about today’s television programs said, “The notion of indecency has become obsolete.” He is suggesting that a standard has been pushed aside. What is that standard? I believe it’s the moral standard found in biblical teaching. (more…)

Though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him.  John 10:38

Magician Harry Houdini often performed an amazing escape.  He was handcuffed, put inside a sack, and locked in a trunk – but he always managed to free himself.  Some claimed that he had supernatural powers, but Houdini himself said that all his tricks could be explained.

When a museum in Wisconsin opened an exhibit that showed the secret of Houdini’s famous escape act, many magicians said it violated their code of ethics that prohibits revealing how tricks are performed.  The exhibit proved Houdini was a magician, not a miracle worker. (more…)