All Sermons

Gone to the Birds

Lessons from the Divine Ornithologist - Part 1

Resources

Speaker

Dwight K. Nelson

Dwight Nelson served as lead pastor of the Pioneer Memorial Church on the campus of Andrews University from 1983 to 2023. During his time at Pioneer he spoke on the “New Perceptions” telecast, taught at the theological seminary and has written books, including The Chosen. He and his wife, Karen, are blessed with two married children and 2 granddaughters.

Offering

Saturday, June 02, 2018
Program: 
Praise
Better Is One Day • I Give You My Heart • Your Grace Still Amazes Me
Prayer
Rodlie Ortiz
Fare Thee Well, Pastors
Sabine Vatel and Sharon Terrell with Royce Snyman
Children's Story
With Wings as Eagles • Kenneth Logan
Worship in Music
His Eye Is on the Sparrow • Charles Gabriel
Sermon
"Gone to the Birds: Lessons from the Divine Ornithologist—1"
Dwight K. Nelson
Connect Card, Tithes & Offerings
I Know Whom I Have Believed • 511

More In This Series

06/30/2018
Lessons from the Divine Ornithologist - Part 5
06/23/2018
Lessons from the Divine Ornithologist - Part 4
06/16/2018
Lessons from the Divine Ornithologist - Part 3
06/09/2018
Lessons from the Divine Ornithologist - Part 2
All Sermons
Print Download

"Gone to the Birds: Lessons from the Divine Ornithologist"—1
The Eagle
www.newperceptions.tv

  • Isaiah 40:31
    • "But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint."
    • Steps to Christ: "'God is love,' is written upon every opening bud, upon every spire of springing grass. The lovely birds making the air vocal with their happy songs . . . all testify to the tender, fatherly care of our God, and to His desire to make His children happy." (10)
       
  • Psalm 27:13-14
    • "I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the LORD!"
    • Carl Jung: "Hurry is not of the devil. Hurry is the devil!" (Celebration of Discipline 13)
    • Joyce Landorf God’s Waiting Room
      Let me have my own way, Lord, let me have my own way.
      You are the potter, (but don't forget!) I am the clay.
      Now mold me and make me—if it doesn't hurt too much or cramp my style.
      While I am moving, forging ahead and motor mouth still.
    • God's Waiting Room—Joseph, Moses, Jesus, Paul, You
    • Jim Long: "If the only way to develop patience is to go through difficulty, we'd probably just as soon skip it. Every day brings some exasperation—some need, small or great, that forces us to exercise patience [or impatience, as the case may be]. . . . We struggle with patience because we don't like the circumstances we face. Patience is difficult because things feel out of control. The timing seems wrong; the wait drags on and on."(www.christianitytoday.com/iyf/1998/sepoct/8c5010.html)
    • www.pmchurch.org/japanjournal
    • Desire of Ages: "Christ rejoiced that He could do more for His followers than they could ask or think. . . . He knew that truth, armed with the omnipotence of the Holy Spirit, would conquer in the contest with evil; and that the bloodstained banner would wave triumphantly over His followers. He knew that the life of His trusting disciples would be like His, a series of uninterrupted victories, not seen to be such here, but recognized as such in the great hereafter." (679)

 

"You wait . . . I win . . . You win"

 

Offering for December 20, 2025

Pioneer Operating Budget

My then six-year-old son came up to me and said, “Dad, I need a lot of money, and I need to make it fast!” I smiled and inquired, “Why do you need a lot of money quickly?” I didn’t know what my son was thinking of doing with all this fast cash and why he needed the funds so urgently. I thought maybe he wanted to buy a new toy or bike for himself. He said, “Well, Mom’s birthday is coming up and I want to buy a nice gift for her!” That sure cheered my heart, and so I gave him the funds! My son was asking for money, not for selfish reasons but out of love for his mom.

When I think about church offerings, every gift we give should be measured by the unfathomable Gift of heaven. The greatest offering we received from God is Jesus, and there is no way we can measure His love and sacrifice for us. Anything we give would appear as nothing in comparison. “How vain the endeavor to measure with mathematical rules, time, money, and love against a love and sacrifice that is measureless and incomputable!” (Testimonies for the Church, Vol.4, p.119). Let’s return our tithes and offerings in response to the abundance of God’s love for us. 

—North American Division Stewardship Ministries

Church Office Holiday Closure: 12/22-12/26 & 12/29-01/02

Please note that the church office will be closed from December 22 to 26 and again from December 29 to January 2 for the holiday season. We will reopen on January 5. Our church services will proceed as always. If you have any announcements, please submit those no later than December 19. Thank you for your understanding. We wish you a blessed Christmas and a happy New Year!

Christmas Blessing Opportunity

Be part of a Christmas blessing this year! Chiang Mai Adventist Academy, which serves primarily Buddhist students from around the country, is looking for a set of Bible story felts to use in teaching the Bible in their Sabbath schools. FARM STEW missionaries will be going to Thailand in January and deliver them. If you have a felt set you would like to donate or would like to donate towards buying a new set, please contact Deby Andvik. (andvik@andrews.edu or call/text 269-277-4145) 

Pioneer Women's Ministries 2025 Advent Devotionals

Pioneer Women’s Ministries’ Advent devotionals will highlight a few of the promises of Jesus. To receive the “Red Letter Promises” daily devotionals by email for the first 25 days of December, text the word “ADVENT” to 269-281-2345. You can also receive a short daily text message preview of each day's devotional by providing your cell phone number when you register. We pray you will sense the nearness of Jesus during this holy season through these devotionals.

House of Prayer
Pioneer Earlyteen Loft

Please join us for House of Prayer Wednesday evenings at 7pm in the Earliteen Loft for a time of singing, Bible study and prayer.