Daily Lesson for Sunday 25th of January 2026

Having just presented Jesus as the perfect example of humility and obedience to God’s will, Paul now turns to the Philippians themselves. He affirms their obedience to the Lord after they received the gospel message (see Acts 16:13-15,32-33) and urges them to continue in that obedience.

Having presented the example of Christ’s life and the Cross as the way of salvation, Paul now focuses more directly on how this all works in practice.

Image © Lifeway Coll. Goodsalt.com

In these two verses, Paul does not present a different gospel from what he outlines in Romans and in his other epistles. We can be sure his message here agrees with the gospel of justification by faith, which he also preached in Philippi and other places. But it’s also important to consider all the Bible says on a given topic, especially on the topic of salvation, which can be so misunderstood.

Without question, salvation is God’s work, and we can take absolutely no credit for it ourselves. Even faith itself is a gift, encouraged through the work of the Holy Spirit. Our own works cannot save us; however, through the new birth, God re-creates us spiritually, enabling us to do good works. God’s Spirit works in us, empowering our will to choose the right, to resist temptation, and to make right choices.

Thus, we work out what God works in, “with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12). Does that mean we should be afraid of God’s judgment on our often feeble efforts to obey? Of course not. This phrase refers to sensing God’s presence (see Psalms 2:11) and our need to obey Him.

<–Sabbath Monday–>

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/26a-05-we-work-out-what-god-works-in/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=26a-05-we-work-out-what-god-works-in

Daily Lesson for Sabbath 24th of January 2026

Image © Pacific Press

Read for This Week’s Study: Philippians 2:12-30; Romans 3:23-24; Romans 5:8; 2 Timothy 4:6; 1 Corinthians 4:17; 2 Timothy 4:13,21; Luke 7:2.

Memory Text:

“Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world” (Philippians 2:14-15, NKJV).

God told the Hebrews to obey because that obedience “is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes, and say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people’ ” (Deuteronomy 4:6, NKJV).

Centuries later Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life” (John 8:12, NKJV). He has also said, “ ‘You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden’ ” (Matthew 5:14, NKJV). How can we be that light? Only through a close connection with Jesus, “the true light that gives light to everyone” (John 1:9, NIV). As Philippians 2:1-30 says, God “has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow . . . and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord” (Philippians 2:9-11, NKJV).

The light and power of heaven is available to all of us who have surrendered our lives to Jesus. But too often either we expect God to do it all or our own ideas and plans get in the way. That’s why Paul’s words to the Philippians are so relevant today.

*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, January 31.

Sunday–>

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/26a-05-shining-as-lightsin-the-night/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=26a-05-shining-as-lightsin-the-night

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-january-24/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=mission-spotlight-for-january-24

Inside Story for Friday 23rd of January 2026

Eleven-year-old Alvan Harold liked hearing coins jingling in his pocket as he walked home from school in Kisumu, Kenya. Then he could stop by a shop and buy some crunchy nuts or a cold ice cream.

One day, the fifth-grade Bible teacher shocked Alvan by talking about his beloved pocket money. “You should not spend all your pocket money on nuts and ice cream,” she said. “Save some to give to God on Sabbath.”

Image © Pacific Press

Alvan put money in the offering plate on Sabbath. It was money that his father gave him on Sabbath morning. Teacher spoke about that money, too.

“When you give money from your parents in church, you are only giving for your parents,” she said. “You aren’t giving your own money.” She read Malachi 3:8: “Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings” (NKJV).

Alvan thought that Teacher was criticizing him, and he didn’t like that. But then he thought, Maybe she is just a little bit right.

It was Thursday, and Alvan had already spent all his pocket money for that week. He decided to save money for God the next week. But the next week, he again spent all his money.

Two months passed, and Alvan was terribly dis­ap­pointed with himself. He just couldn’t seem to save money for offering.

One day, he and his 17-year-old brother, Allan, passed an ice-cream shop as they walked home. Alvan had a 20-shilling coin (20 U.S. cents) in his pocket, and he decided to spend it on ice cream.

But his big brother stopped him. “It’s childish to walk around eating ice cream,” he said. “I won’t walk around with someone eating ice cream.” Alvan was annoyed. He wanted ice cream, but he couldn’t argue. So he didn’t buy it.

When Sabbath arrived, he still had the 20 shillings in his pocket. He put the coin in the offering plate along with 20 shillings that his parents had given him that morning. It felt good to give his own money to God. He had given up something he really wanted for the offering money, and realized it wasn’t such a loss.

The next week, Alvan managed to save another 20 shillings, and he gave it as offering. He liked the feeling! He decided to give 20 shillings every Sabbath —and he has to this day. To his surprise, he has never run out of money again. Before, he never had enough money to last the week. But now he always has enough money. In fact, he often has more than 20 shillings left over, and he gives the extra money to Father to put into savings.

Sometimes Alvan is tempted to buy nuts or ice cream, but he reminds himself that he must have 20 shillings for God on Sabbath.

“I remind myself that God’s work is better than what I want,” he said.

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/26a-04-inside-story-money-never-runs-out/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=26a-04-inside-story-money-never-runs-out

Daily Lesson for Friday 23rd of January 2026

Further Thought:

“All the paternal love which has come down from generation to generation through the channel of human hearts, all the springs of tenderness which have opened in the souls of men, are but as a tiny rill to the boundless ocean when compared with the infinite, exhaustless love of God.

Image © Stan Myers from GoodSalt.com

Tongue cannot utter it; pen cannot portray it. You may meditate upon it every day of your life; you may search the Scriptures diligently in order to understand it; you may summon every power and capability that God has given you, in the endeavor to comprehend the love and compassion of the heavenly Father; and yet there is an infinity beyond. You may study that love for ages; yet you can never fully comprehend the length and the breadth, the depth and the height, of the love of God in giving His Son to die for the world. Eternity itself can never fully reveal it. Yet as we study the Bible and meditate upon the life of Christ and the plan of redemption, these great themes will open to our understanding more and more.”—Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, p. 740.

“When we are receiving a training, as did Moses in the school of Christ, what shall we learn?—to become puffed up?—to have an exalted opinion of ourselves?—No, indeed. The more we learn in this school, the more we shall advance in meekness and lowliness of mind. We are not to feel that we have learned everything worth knowing. We should put to the best use the talents God has given us, that when we are changed from mortality to immortality, we shall not leave behind that which we have attained, but may take it with us to the other side. Throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity, Christ and His work of redemption will be the theme of our study.”—Ellen G. White, Manuscript 36, 1885.

Discussion Questions

<–Thursday

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/26a-04-further-thought-unity-through-humility/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=26a-04-further-thought-unity-through-humility