Sunday
February 11
1. ON THE FOURTH DAY
a. What was created on the first day of creation? Genesis 1:3.
b. What was made on the fourth day? Genesis 1:16.
c. How do we know that the light of the sun is necessary for optimum health? Genesis 1:18.
“The sun is a God-given physician.”–Manuscript Releases, vol. 20, p. 25.
“The course we recommend will not deprive you of life or injure you. You will derive benefit from it. You need not be rash or reckless; commence moderately at first to have more air and exercise, and continue your reform until you become useful, a blessing to your families and to all around you. Let your judgment be convinced that exercise, sunlight, and air are the blessings which Heaven has provided to make the sick well and to keep in health those who are not sick. God does not deprive you of these free, Heaven-bestowed blessings, but you have punished yourselves by closing your doors against them. Properly used, these simple yet powerful agents will assist nature to overcome real difficulties, if such exist, and will give healthy tone to the mind and vigor to the body.”–Testimonies, vol. 2, p. 535.
d. Upon who does God bestow His blessings? Matthew 5:45.
“The One who gave His life that we should not perish is the divine Teacher, and He appeals to every blessing of the natural world, the showers that fall upon the earth, the dew, the glorious sunlight, given alike to thankful and unthankful. The bounties of God’s providence speak to every soul, confirming Christ’s testimony to the supreme goodness of His Father.”–The General Conference Bulletin, October 1, 1899.
Monday
February 12
2. HEALING RAYS
a. How does the Bible describe the light of the sun? Ecclesiastes 11:7. What blessing do we receive from the Sun of Righteousness? Malachi 4:2.
“Blessed and beneficent are the rays of light from the Sun of Righteousness who is now pouring His enlightening, healing beams upon everyone who will open the windows of the soul heavenward.”–The Upward Look, p. 257.
“Christ is the wellspring of life. That which many need is to have a clearer knowledge of Him; they need to be patiently and kindly, yet earnestly, taught how the whole being may be thrown open to the healing agencies of heaven. When the sunlight of Godlove illuminates the darkened chambers of the soul, restless weariness and dissatisfaction will cease, and satisfying joys will give vigor to the mind and health and energy to the body.”–The Ministry of Healing, p. 247.
“By [useful] employment [suited to his or her strength] and the free use of air and sunlight, many an emaciated invalid might recover health and strength.”–Ibid., p. 246.
b. What blessings does God want to give us by opening our eyes to the light of truth? Acts 26:18; Mark 4:26–28. What benefit do plants and human beings receive from the sun?
“The pale and sickly grain-blade that has struggled up out of the cold of early spring puts out the natural and healthy deep green after enjoying for a few days the health-and-life-giving rays of the sun. Go out into the light and warmth of the glorious sun, . . . and share with vegetation its life-giving, healing power.”–My Life Today, p. 138.
c. Who and what are our sources of spiritual light? Psalm 27:1; Proverbs 6:23.
Tuesday
February 13
3. WARMTH AND BEAUTY
a. What happens when we do not appreciate and walk in the spiritual light? John 12:35; 1 John 1:5.
b. How can we use sunshine as a healing agent? How are we blessed as the “daystar” arises in our hearts (2 Peter 1:19)? John 8:12; 17:13; 16:33.
“Invalids too often deprive themselves of sunlight. This is one of nature’s most healing agents. It is a very simple, therefore not a fashionable remedy, to enjoy the rays of God’s sunlight and beautify our homes with its presence. . . . Our own folly has led us to deprive ourselves of things that are precious, of blessings which God has provided and which, if properly used, are of inestimable value for the recovery of health. If you would have your homes sweet and inviting, make them bright with air and sunshine. Remove your heavy curtains, open the windows, throw back the blinds, and enjoy the rich sunlight, even if it be at the expense of the colors of your carpets. The precious sunlight may fade your carpets, but it will give a healthful color to the cheeks of your children. If you have God’s presence and possess earnest, loving hearts, a humble home made bright with air and sunlight, and cheerful with the welcome of unselfish hospitality, will be to your family, and to the weary traveler, a heaven below.”–Testimonies, vol. 2, p. 527.
c. If we have accepted Christ, the light of the world, how are we to reflect light upon others? Psalm 42:11; Matthew 5:16.
“God’s people have many lessons to learn. They will have perfect peace if they will keep the mind stayed on Him who is too wise to err and too good to do them harm. They are to catch the reflection of the smile of God, and reflect it to others. They are to see how much sunshine they can bring into the lives of those around them. They are to keep near to Christ, so close that they sit together with Him as His little children, in sweet, sacred unity. They are never to forget that as they receive the affection and love of God, they are under the most solemn obligation to impart it to others. Thus they may exert an influence of rejoicing, which blesses all who come within its reach, irradiating their pathway.”–Medical Ministry, p. 45.
Wednesday
February 14
4. WORDS TO THE WISE
a. What lesson should all men and women learn from the effect of the sun upon the grass and the flowers? James 1:10, 11. In what sense is a true Christian compared to a palm tree in the desert? Psalm 92:12; John 6:35; 7:37.
“See the weary traveler toiling over the hot sand of the desert, with no shelter to protect him from the rays of the tropical sun. His water supply fails, and he has nothing with which to slake his burning thirst. His tongue becomes swollen; he staggers like a drunken man. Visions of home and friends pass before his mind as he believes himself ready to perish. Suddenly he sees in the distance, rising out of the dreary sandy waste, a palm tree, green and flourishing. Hope quickens his pulses; he presses on, knowing that that which gives vigor and freshness to the palm tree will cool his fevered blood and give him renewed life.
“As is the palm tree in the desert–a guide and consolation to the fainting traveler–so the Christian is to be in the world. He is to guide weary souls, full of unrest, and ready to perish in the desert of sin, to the living water. He is to point his fellow men to Him who gives to all the invitation, ‘If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink’ (John 7:37).”–In Heavenly Places, p. 240.
b. What kind of spiritual clothing do we need in order to cross the “deserts” of this world? Revelation 3:18; 19:8; Zechariah 3:3, 4.
“The people must not be left to stumble their way along in darkness, not knowing what is before them, and unprepared for the great issues that are coming. There is a work to be done for this time in fitting a people to stand in the day of trouble, and all must act their part in this work. They must be clothed with the righteousness of Christ, and be so fortified by the truth that the delusions of Satan shall not be accepted by them as genuine manifestations of the power of God.”–Selected Messages, bk. 3, p. 389.
c. For what purpose has God placed us in this world? Philippians 2:15, 16; 1 Peter 2:9.
Thursday
February 15
5. FREE TO ALL
a. What assurance makes life in this world worth living? Psalm 27:1; Romans 8:31.
“I hope that you will keep under the direct rays of the Sun of Righteousness, that the bright beams from the face of Jesus Christ may shine with brightness upon your heart, and that you may reflect their bright rays to others.”–The Ellen G. White 1888 Materials, p. 710.
b. What is the most precious heavenly gift placed within our reach, and on what condition is it offered to us? Isaiah 55:1, 7; Luke 14:33.
“Money cannot buy it, intellect cannot grasp it, power cannot command it; but to all who will accept it, God’s glorious grace is freely given. But men may feel their need, and, renouncing all self-dependence, accept salvation as a gift. Those who enter heaven will not scale its walls by their own righteousness, nor will its gates be opened to them for costly offerings of gold or silver, but they will gain an entrance to the many mansions of the Father’s house through the merits of the cross of Christ.”–God’s Amazing Grace, p. 179.
c. What kind of sunshine should we have in our home? Ephesians 4:32.
“Home should be a place where cheerfulness, courtesy, and love abide; and where these graces dwell, there will abide happiness and peace. Troubles may invade, but these are the lot of humanity. Let patience, gratitude, and love keep sunshine in the heart, though the day may be ever so cloudy. In such homes angels of God abide.”–The Ministry of Healing, p. 393.
Friday
February 16
PERSONAL REVIEW
1. Why does God give all people sunshine?
2. Sunshine kills bacteria. What sin will the light from the Son of God remove from our life?
3. Am I walking in all the light that has been revealed to me from God?
4. Can I get too much from the Son of light?
5. Have I really received the gift of Christ, and am I truly thankful?