It's the world's best-selling book and yet it is generally the least read in any household. Written several thousand years ago, it could certainly seem irrelevant at first glance. The fact that it is a tome can also be an enormously daunting prospect, especially when you are time-poor.

Research done by Baylor University found that Christians who read the Bible are more likely to actively seek social and economic justice; believe it's important to consume or use fewer goods; and are less likely to view religion and science as incompatible, among other moral and political issues.

Then there's another study published in the Mental Health, Religion and Culture journal, which showed that "Bible reading makes a small but unique contribution to promoting a sense of purpose in life among 13-15 year-olds."

And yet, those aren't the main reasons why Adventists study the Bible. We read the Bible to get to know the God who loves us; to learn from the stories and experiences of others; to discover the history of our origins; to be amazed by prophecy; to gain insight on how to live our lives; and to read God's many promises that give us hope, peace and confidence.

In a nutshell, Adventists study the Bible because they are in love with the Word, "and the Word was God" (John 1:1). Set some time aside today to study your Bible more. If you would like a Bible study partner/guide or material send us a request here and we will be in touch with you soon.

Some may see prayer as a one-way conversation, or even worse, a conversation with ourselves, but studies have shown that not only does it improve our quality of life, it actually has the power to heal. Scientists say interactions with God through prayer give us the ability to better manage our negative emotions and reduce our aggression towards others.

According to researchers Marek Jantos and Hosen Kiat, “[Prayer] should be recognized as an important resource for coping with pain and illness and improving health and general well-being.” The Bible even promises that when we pray, we will experience “the peace of God, which transcends all understanding (Philippians 4:7).”

But Seventh-day Adventists don’t just pray for the sake of our health and well-being. As Christian author Ellen White wrote, “Prayer is the opening of the heart to God as to a friend.”

It is what fuels and develops our relationship with Him, and when we take time to speak directly with God, we discover that He takes the time to reply and transform us with His love.

Please resolve to try to pray more today. At District Six Seventh Day Adventist Church, we have dedicated prayer session every Sabbath between 14:30 and 15:00. Feel free to join us.

Globalization and increased means of travel make it easier for loved ones to live apart from each other. Long distance relationships are on the rise, be it partners stationed overseas for work or a child moving interstate to study. Unsurprisingly, Skype has become one of the most popular Internet tools in the world. In May last year, the company announced a milestone: 35 million concurrent users on Skype—a mere week after announcing a milestone of 34 million users.

When it comes to the people we love, we want to keep in touch, regardless the distance. While Seventh-day Adventists believe prophecy is a “prediction of what will happen in the future,” we also know that it has to do with much more—it has to do with God’s deep desire to stay in contact with the people He loves—us.

Throughout history, God used prophets to provide His beloved children with comfort, guidance, instruction and correction. When they lost their way, He sent “prophets to the people to bring them back to him.” When they started to despair, He sent prophets to encourage. And when they needed someone to talk to, God listened and replied through his prophets.

God’s prophets are His messengers, appointed to speak His words. Our human nature made it impossible to for us to see God face-to-face. But just because we have to keep our distance does not mean He must remain silent.

Adventists believe prophecies are God’s way of continuing his conversation with us. And ultimately, “it is the Spirit of prophecy who bears testimony to Jesus”, the epitome of God’s message of love—that He would die for us to save our souls.

Seventh Day Adventists also beleive in the gift of the Spirit of Prophecy as given through the ministration of Ellen G. White. Her books are a source of timeless inspiration, reproof and guide to a generation that is leaving in end times. Why don't you try one her inspirational books today. We recommend you start by reading Steps to Christ., a powerful small book about how we can connect with Jesus Christ.