Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body. Colossians 1:18 NLT

Several Years ago, a friend of mine and I went to the Bodies exhibit at the MOSI Museum in Tampa, where we saw real bodies on display. One of the exhibits featured a nerve that ran from the small toe up the spinal column to the brain. The moment the toe was injured, the message shot to the brain, which felt the pain instantly. 

Image © Phil McKay from GoodSalt.com

As I studied this exhibit, I thought of Colossians 1:18: Jesus Christ is the head of the church, and we are His body. I realized that just as the brain feels pain the moment the smallest body part is injured, so when the smallest member of the body of Christ is hurt, Jesus, Who is the Head of the body, is the first to feel the pain. 

No wonder why Jesus told Saul on the road to Damascus, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting!” Acts 9:5 NLT. Jesus felt the pain of every member whom Saul persecuted. This is why Satan targets followers of Jesus.  Satan wants to hurt Jesus, and he knows the best way to hurt Jesus is to hurt the members of His body. There is consolation in this truth.

Many of us have experienced pain, trials and persecutions that others do not understand. This makes us feel lonely and isolated. But when we share in Jesus’ pain and persecution, we grow closer to Christ in understanding and gain an intimacy with Him that the world will never understand. This may be why Paul said,

I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead! Philippians 3:10 -11NLT

Just like the toe cannot feel pain without the brain feeling pain, likewise, the smallest member of the body of Christ cannot hurt without Christ, Who is the Head, hurting with us. The toe cannot feel pain alone, and you cannot feel pain alone either. As soon as you are hurt, Christ is right beside you, sharing your pain. Or, since Satan is really trying to get at Christ, instead of saying He shares our pain, could it be said that we share His pain? If so then Jesus, Who had to tread the winpress alone, with no one to help Him, (Isaiah 63:3) is now no longer alone. Millions of persecuted saints are right there with Him. 

Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world. 1 Peter 4:13 NLT

Because of the connection between the little toe and the brain, neither the brain nor the toe is ever alone. Neither ever cries alone. Likewise, because of the connection the smallest member of the body of Christ has with Christ Himself, neither the smallest member nor Christ Himself ever cries alone in pain. We have a constant companion in our sufferings and in our glorious victories, 

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/the-intimate-and-sacred-privilege-of-suffering-with-christ/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-intimate-and-sacred-privilege-of-suffering-with-christ

Daily Lesson for Sunday 15th of February 2026

When we look in the mirror or at a photograph, we see an image of ourselves, but it is a flat, two-dimensional portrayal. In some respects, a sculpture gives a clearer idea yet still falls far short of the living, breathing, animated reality. The biblical concept of image, while sometimes referring to these lesser representations, suggests something broader still.

Image © Lars Justinen from GoodSalt.com

Human beings were created to be as much like God as possible—physically, spiritually, relationally, and functionally. Still, they reflect God’s image in certain aspects only, and sin has damaged even that. But Jesus enables us to “see” the invisible God. “He who has seen Me,” Jesus said, “has seen the Father” (John 14:9, NKJV). He is “the exact imprint” of God’s nature (Hebrews 1:3, ESV). He is God’s thought made audible and God’s character made visible.

Note other ways in which Jesus described His relation to God the Father:

• “My Father has been working until now, and I have been working” (John 5:17, NKJV).

• “I and My Father are one” (John 10:30, NKJV).

• “No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6, NKJV).

Jesus also repeatedly described Himself in an absolute sense in terms of God’s name: “I AM” (see Exodus 3:14); “I am the bread of life” (John 6:35); “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12); “I am the good shepherd” (John 10:11,14); “I am the resurrection, and the life” (John 11:25); “I am in the Father, and the Father in me” (John 14:11); and “Before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:58).

<–Sabbath Monday–>

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/26a-08-image-of-the-invisible-god/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=26a-08-image-of-the-invisible-god

Daily Lesson for Sabbath 14th of February 2026

Image © Pacific Press

Read for This Week’s Study: Genesis 1:26-27; Colossians 1:13-19; John 1:1-3; Ephesians 1:22; 1 Corinthians 12:12-27; 1 Corinthians 4:9; Romans 6:3-4.

Memory Text:

“He [Christ] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist” (Colossians 1:15-17, NKJV).

With this week’s lesson, we resume our consideration of Colossians (see Lessons 1 and 2). In Lesson 2, Thursday, we saw that in Colossians 1:9-12, Paul prays for believers in Colossae, asking that they may live in a way pleasing to God. In verses 12 and 13, he contrasts two realms: that of light and of darkness, “the kingdom of light” (Colossians 1:12, NIV) and “the dominion of darkness” (Colossians 1:13, NIV). God the Father has qualified us to share in the eternal inheritance of the realm of light, delivered us from the power of darkness, and “transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:13-14, ESV).

In other words, it is in Jesus, the person of Jesus, who is also God our Creator, that we have redemption. He worked out our redemption for us, and by faith in Him we have been moved from the realm of darkness into the kingdom of His beloved Son.

This week we will look at one of the most comprehensive and sublime statements about Jesus in the New Testament. What does it mean that Jesus is “the image of the invisible God,” yet also “the firstborn over all creation” (Colossians 1:15, NIV)?

*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, February 21.

Sunday–>

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/26a-08-the-preeminence-of-christ/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=26a-08-the-preeminence-of-christ

Our Sabbath School program has always been linked to the support of the Seventh-day Adventist Mission program. This video provides a little insight into this important work.

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/mission-spotlight-for-february-14/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=mission-spotlight-for-february-14

Inside Story for Friday 13th of February 2026

Rene Tucaldo is chief financial officer of the 1000 Missionary Movement, whose headquarters in Silang, Philippines, were constructed with the help of a 1996 Thirteenth Sabbath Offering. Read more next week.

Image © Pacific Press

Little Rene liked everything about Seventh-day Adventists. In his native province in the Philippines, all rich people seemed to be Adventist. They had big rice farms and a good standard of living. Rene wanted a similar lifestyle.

One day, several Adventist children invited him to read the Bible with them. Then the son of his father’s employer, an Adventist rice farmer, invited him to Sabbath School and church.

For the first time, Rene heard about the Sabbath. It sounded logical. He also noticed that the Adventist children dressed well. He liked that they didn’t swear. He wanted to be like them.

When he was 12, he was baptized and joined the Adventist Church.

He didn’t become rich, and his life seemed to grow worse. His family despised him for his faith and stopped supporting his studies. He was forced to quit school. After four years, he had had enough. At 16, he left the church and joined his father in the rice fields of the Adventist farmer. Soon he was drinking, smoking, gambling, and eating all kinds of unclean food.

Two years passed, and a 17-year-old named Rodel knocked on the door.

“I’m a missionary,” he told Rene’s mother. “Can I come in?”

“What kind of missionary?” she asked.

“1000 Missionary Movement,” he said.

“What’s that?” she said.

“I’m a Seventh-day Adventist missionary,” he said.

“Ahh,” Mother said. “My son is an Adventist, but he has backslidden.”

“Where is he?”

“He’s sleeping.”

As a hardworking farmer, Rene was exhausted. Mother led Rodel to him.

“My friend, why have you stopped being an Adventist?” Rodel said.

Rene was surprised but made it clear that he wouldn’t return to the church.

“My family hated me as an Adventist.”

“Can I invite you to church?”

“I don’t think so. I can’t go.”

Rodel left. But a year and a half later, when Rene was 20, he returned.

“My friend, come fishing with me,” he said.

Rodel didn’t try to convince Rene to go to church. He simply befriended him. They went fishing together. After a while, Rene found himself back in church on Sabbaths.

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/26a-07-inside-story-becoming-a-rich-adventist/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=26a-07-inside-story-becoming-a-rich-adventist