Daily Lesson for Monday 29th of December 2025

While in Macedonia, Paul mentions multiple imprisonments (2 Corinthians 6:5, 2 Corinthians 11:23, 2 Corinthians 7:5). The first recorded instance was in Philippi (Acts 16:16-24). Later he was imprisoned in Jerusalem briefly before being transferred to prison in Caesarea.

Elsewhere, Paul mentions being “in my chains” (Philemon 1:10,13, NKJV). Although under house arrest in Rome, he was chained to an elite Roman soldier. Ignatius, a Christian of the early second century who was chained up like this, described the soldiers as behaving like “wild beasts . . . who only get worse when they are well treated.”—Michael W. Holmes, ed., The Apostolic Fathers (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2007), p. 231.

Image © Lars Justinen at Goodsalt.com

No matter how hard life got, Paul was able to see a brighter side, and that gave him courage to bear up under stress. Despite Satan hurling everything he could, Paul knew he was not forsaken.

Often, we may be tempted to look at our circumstances, our weaknesses, or our past failures and become discouraged. It’s at times like these that we need to remember all the amazing provisions God has made for our success in battling evil. One of the most important is the Bible itself, “the word of truth,” because we can learn from others’ mistakes and also learn how these people have succeeded. Also, the Holy Spirit “makes effectual what has been wrought out by the world’s Redeemer. It is by the Spirit that the heart is made pure. Through the Spirit the believer becomes a partaker of the divine nature. Christ has given His Spirit as a divine power to overcome all hereditary and cultivated tendencies to evil, and to impress His own character upon His church.”—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 671.

<–Sunday Tuesday–>

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/26a-01-paul-in-chains/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=26a-01-paul-in-chains

The great lesson we learn from dear Paul this quarter is that we are to 
Stand Up! Stand Up For Jesus! – Hymn 618. This is a beautiful theme hymn to give us a great reminder of what we need in our world that is falling apart these days.

There are many times that Paul encourages us with his ability to be so positive in his trying circumstances and great service, and yet he still will say he rejoices: 
Hymn 599 – Rejoice, Rejoice, Believers.

While still in chains (Monday), Paul goes forward with his wonderful advice to 
Go, Preach My Gospel – Hymn 378. “Paul was able to see a brighter side, and that gave him courage to bear up under the stress”. I can question myself in all my worldly trials 
Am I A Soldier Of The Cross? – Hymn 609. To help with our daily toils and not become discouraged, we can ask 
Give Me The Bible – Hymn 272 to read about help and answers God will graciously give all the time. Then, we can 
Rejoice, Ye Pure In Heart – Hymn 27.

There is more encouragement and advice from Paul as he keeps telling everyone to be faithful: 
Hymn 602 – O Brother, Be Faithful as we are welcomed into our 2026 Bible study times.

Please continue to search the scriptures this week to be blessed, and to bless others.

To learn unknown hymns, you will find the accompaniment music for each one at: https://sdahymnals.com/Hymnal/

Another great resource is for when there is a hymn you wish to sing but can’t find it in your hymnal. Go to https://www.sdahymnal.org/Search and in the search bar type a special word in that is in the hymn. I am sure you will be amazed at the help you will be given.

 2 Timothy 2:15 KJV – “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/1-persecuted-but-not-forsaken-singing-with-inspiration/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=1-persecuted-but-not-forsaken-singing-with-inspiration

Daily Lesson for Sunday 28th of December 2025

Philippians and Colossians are called Prison Epistles because they were written while Paul was in prison (the others are Ephesians and Philemon). Most commentators think they were written while Paul was in Rome, about a.d. 60–62 (see Acts 28:16).

Image © Review & Herald Publishing at Goodsalt.com

Paul has given his life in service to Jesus Christ. If that service includes being a prisoner, he is ready. Paul describes himself as “an ambassador in chains” (Ephesians 6:20, NKJV). He had been on missionary journeys, raising up churches and training workers for the Lord. He may have asked, “Why am I here when I could be doing so much more without these chains?” Paul was also imprisoned later, when he wrote 2 Timothy, which is considered a Pastoral Epistle. So at least five books of the New Testament were written while he was in prison.

In none of the prison epistles does Paul mention exactly where he was imprisoned; thus, some have suggested either Ephesus or Caesarea. But there is no biblical evidence that Paul was ever imprisoned in Ephesus. Caesarea might seem a more likely possibility, except there is no apparent threat to Paul’s life in this city. There definitely is that threat, however, by the time Philippians was written (see Philippians 1:20, Philippians 2:17).

This epistle gives us some other clues as to where Paul was at the time of his imprisonment. First, there was a praetorium. This can refer to a provincial governor’s official residence, like the one in Jerusalem, where Jesus was examined by Pilate (Matthew 27:27, John 18:33), and in Caesarea, where Paul was imprisoned (Acts 23:35). But Paul clearly uses this term not of a place but in reference to people. He says “the whole palace guard” became familiar with the gospel (Philippians 1:13, NKJV). In Rome, these were elite soldiers, about fourteen thousand, who protected the emperor and guarded his prisoners.

Second, Paul also sends greetings from the believers in “Caesar’s household” (Philippians 4:22). This indicates that Paul was a prisoner in Rome and in contact with those who served the imperial household.

<–Sabbath Monday–>

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/26a-01-paul-the-prisoner-of-jesus-christ/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=26a-01-paul-the-prisoner-of-jesus-christ

Daily Lesson for Sabbath 27th of December 2025

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Read for This Week’s Study

Ephesians 3:1; 2 Corinthians 4:7-12; Acts 9:16; Philemon 1:15-16; Colossians 4:9; Philippians 1:1-3; Colossians 1:1-2.

Memory Text:

“Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4, NKJV).

An Adventist pastor, imprisoned on false charges, spent nearly two years behind bars. Though at first greatly perplexed, he realized the prison was his God-given mission field. When his fellow prisoners learned that he was a pastor, they asked him to preach. He did, and he gave out literature too. He even baptized prisoners and conducted Communion services.

“At times,” he admitted, “it was difficult ministering in the prison, but there was also joy, especially when you saw prayers answered and lives changed.”

Paul wrote Philippians and Colossians from prison (see Philippians 1:7, Colossians 4:3). In fact, in Philippi itself, after Paul and Silas were unjustly accused, the jailer put “their feet in the stocks” (Acts 16:24, NKJV). At midnight, they were “praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them” (Acts 16:25, NKJV; emphasis supplied). Truly they knew how to “rejoice always.”

This week we’ll look at the circumstances that Paul faced. He saw a larger purpose for what happened to him, and perhaps we can learn from him when we, as we inevitably do, face our own trials.

*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, January 3.

Sunday–>

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/26a-01-persecuted-but-not-forsaken/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=26a-01-persecuted-but-not-forsaken

Think of the hardest job you’ve ever done. What made it hard? Was it the expectations, or the time allotted for the work, or both? Was it your attitude toward the task? Or perhaps it was the people you worked with? Or maybe it just seemed like an impossibility to ever succeed?

Consider the purpose of the plan of salvation: uniting heaven and earth. Sound impossible? Humanly speaking, it certainly is. Nevertheless, just before ascending to heaven, Jesus gave the apostles a seemingly impossible assignment: ” ‘Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you’ ” (Matt. 28:19-20, NKJV).

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Jesus sent Paul to the Gentiles to accomplish this seemingly impossible task: ” ‘To open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me’ ” (Acts 26:18, NKJV).

Some might throw up their hands when given jobs like that. However, we should not overlook the promises Jesus gave on both these occasions. To the apostles, He added, ” ‘And, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world’ ” (Matt. 28:20). And to Paul, Jesus said, ” ‘ “I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you” ‘ ” (Acts 26:16, NKJV).

In short, Jesus gives humanly impossible tasks so we will rely on Him, rather than on ourselves, to accomplish them. He never gives us a job without supplying the power to do it. “As the will of man co-operates with the will of God, it becomes omnipotent. Whatever is to be done at His command may be accomplished in His strength. All His biddings are enablings.”–Ellen G. White, Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 333.

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Amazingly, by the time Paul wrote to the Colossians, the gospel had been “preached to every creature under heaven” (Col. 1:23, NKJV). Of course, not all accepted it. But if we look carefully at the commissions He gave to the apostles (Matt. 28:18-20), and to the apostle Paul, Jesus never promised all would become disciples or all would be converted. The gospel is to be ” ‘preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come’ ” (Matt. 24:14, NKJV, emphasis supplied). What does that witness look like? How exactly is it to be accomplished?

This quarter we’ll study Paul’s epistles to the Philippians and to the Colossians. They have important similarities. Above all, they reveal Christ, the only One able to unite heaven and earth. He is the ladder Jacob saw stretching from earth to heaven (Gen. 28:12; compare John 1:51). As the Son of man and the Son of God, He redeems us from sin, and He intercedes for us.

In studying these letters, we will see both these aspects of Jesus. We’ll consider some of the most sublime statements found anywhere about Christ’s divinity and how He gave it all up to save us. We’ll see Paul wrestling from prison with problems in one church he raised up (Philippi) and in one that he himself never even visited (Colossae). The connections Paul established throughout the “world church” of that time enabled him, even from a Roman prison, to respond to challenges. He knew his time was short, and he did all he could to draw the church closer to heaven and to each other. In so doing, he shows us how God’s church today can unite with heaven to fulfill the last-day commission of Revelation 14, which we know as “the three angels’ messages.”

Clinton Wahlen, Ph.D., is an associate director of the Biblical Research Institute at the General Conference. His expertise is in the New Testament, hermeneutics, and Adventist history. He has lived and worked in Germany, New Zealand, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the Philippines. He and his wife, Gina, have two grown children, a daughter-in-law, and two grandchildren.

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/introduction-uniting-heaven-and-earth/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=introduction-uniting-heaven-and-earth