FIRST QUARTER 2026
SABBATH SCHOOL INSIGHT #2
JANUARY 10, 2026
"REASONS FOR THANKSGIVING AND PRAYER."

 

Sabbath

It is not surprising that the apostle Paul opens up so many of his epistles with an expression of gratitude and thanksgiving because this is the very essence and foundation of an appropriate response to the love of God. Appreciation is the nature of true faith. In particular, the apostle Paul is expressing his thanks for what God has done and is doing in the hearts and lives of the believers and church leaders that he has encouraged and sought to establish in Christ. He is thankful that his labor is not in vain, but does not take credit for the work that the Holy Spirit has done through him, for he recognizes that he himself also is a recipient of the same grace that is working in the hearts of the believers to whom he is writing. On the contrary, he refers to himself as “less than the least of saints” and even the “chief of sinners.” It is an evidence of regeneration that we take special delight and joy in seeing the commitment and spiritual growth of others while recognizing our own obligation and indebtedness to God —sharing the blessings that he has showered on us. These blessings are because of the amazing sacrifice of Christ of which we have come to scratch the surface of understanding, and which has resulted in our own justification, salvation and regeneration.

Sunday

As I read Sunday's outline I am reminded of a brother whose career in the military resulted in my learning much more about the Armed Services than I ever knew. The fellowship between Paul and the believers in the churches that he had established is described by the Greek word “koinonia.” In some sense there is a brotherhood created between members of the military because of the interdependency and trust that each man must place in another, creating a bond and a brotherhood that is perhaps little understood by those who have never trained for or experienced combat. The apostle Paul is described as defending the gospel, frequently using military language which is appropriate when we understand that every Christian has a common enemy. 

Our survival in the Christian life first and foremost is determined by our dependence upon God, but is also complemented by the encouragement and support of other believers. Isaiah 50:4 says, “The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary.” Every Christian should desire to have the same gift, not only to be effective witnesses to others, but also to be a strength and support and encouragement to fellow Christians who are faced with the pervasive challenges of physical illness, financial reversals and broken relationships in a fallen and sinful world.

Monday

Prayer in the Christian Church is something of a hot button issue to my mind because there are differing opinions about both how to pray and what we should pray for. I do not believe there is anything wrong with praying for financial blessings, physical healing, for a life partner or for the restoration of a broken marriage. I believe God honors and even encourages various kinds of prayer, although he may not respond in precisely the way or at the time that we would choose. Ironically, we are told in the book Ministry of Healing, “God never leads His children otherwise than they would choose to be led, if they could see the end from the beginning and discern the glory of the purpose which they are fulfilling as co-workers with Him.”—Ellen G. White, p. 479.

However, what may often be left out is the focus of the apostle Paul's prayer requests — the salvation and spiritual growth of believers. This should never be left out. The primary purpose of the church is not to meet the felt needs of the members of the congregation, although God certainly cares about and Jesus certainly ministered to the felt needs of people. The purpose of the church is to spread the gospel, recognizing that all of the suffering in our world is ultimately (although not necessarily directly) a result of sin, and when sin has been eradicated all of the problems that preoccupy so much of our prayers will be done away with. 

It is difficult to embrace the idea that like the apostle Paul's thorn in the flesh, God will use many of our difficulties and challenges to accomplish our ultimate salvation, growth, development and sanctification. Praying for ourselves is one level of prayer; praying for others is another. However, do we consider praying for the burden of sin and suffering which has existed ever since the fall to be lifted from the heart of God? What parent who loves their child does not feel the pain that results from suffering brought on by their unwise choices and decisions.

“Those who think of the result of hastening or hindering the gospel think of it in relation to themselves and the world. Few think of its relation to God. Few give thought to the suffering that sin has caused our creator…. The cross is a revelation to our dull senses of the pain that from its very inception sin has brought to the heart of God. Every departure from the right, every deed of cruelty, every failure of humanity to reach his ideal brings grief to Him.” —Ellen  G. White, Education, p. 263.

Tuesday

The first chapter of Philippians contains some of the most sublime statements from the pen of the apostle Paul. Our lesson describes how Paul was in prison and a believer named Epaphroditus was sent to encourage him. However, while some could only see suffering and hardship in Paul’s circumstances, he paradoxically sends word that his imprisonment has resulted in the furtherance rather than a hindrance to the spread of the gospel. His report is filled with a spiritual buoyancy and joy that was totally unexpected and served to encourage the very people who had hoped to encourage him. 

In this regard, Paul exhibits the same spirit that Jesus did on the road to Calvary. In Luke 23:28 Jesus pauses on His journey to Golgatha because of a group of women who are weeping because of his suffering.  In sympathy He speaks tenderly, “Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children.” In the final hours of His life, He is ever encouraging others even as He did throughout His life. Jesus is the better Paul and the apostle clearly exemplifies the spirit of Christ in pointing to an eternal perspective and providing a broader understanding of a divine purpose being fulfilled in what to human eyes may appear only gloomy and morose circumstances.

Wednesday

Perhaps one of the most important distinctions made in the writings of Paul is between the fruit of the gospel and the gospel itself. To confuse the two is the objective of the enemy, so as to entangle believers in a do-it-yourself works program while leading them to believe they are embracing the pure gospel. The entire book of Galatians is written to combat a faith plus works theology. The gospel embraces all of the benefits and blessings that accrue to humanity because of the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Obedience and good works, faithfulness and devotion, patience and love are all the results or fruit of the gospel and cannot add to what Christ has already done. 

Paul is clear that God desires our obedience, sanctification and good works as expressed in Ephesians 2:10: “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” 

However, the purpose of our fruitfulness is to bring honor to God and to make us an effective witness to others as Jesus describes in Matthew 5:16: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Our fruitfulness is the result of our salvation and never the basis of our salvation. Our justification is based on what Christ has done and never on what we have done.

Thursday

In Colossians 1 Paul prays that believers “might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.” The phrase is rich and broad and reminds me of the request of Solomon for wisdom as he was established as king over Israel. God would have given him whatever he chose but he desired to have the wisdom to properly govern God’s people. God granted him this request and much more, although Solomon made grave mistakes during his life. 

Jesus is the greater Solomon in that He was filled with the knowledge of God’s will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding and in His life carried out the will of God in every particular, without deviation. We can gain wisdom by searching the Scriptures. We can gain wisdom by prayer and providence, and we can gain wisdom by surrounding ourselves with people who have long and deep experience in the things of God. I have been personally blessed and encouraged tremendously by the people God has placed in my path during the short and swiftly passing years of my life.

Friday

Friday’s outline articulates thoughts that seem so foreign to our world. We are taught that a good life requires careful planning in almost every detail. Nothing is to be left to chance and certainly not to the will of anyone outside of ourselves. And yet we are told "Christ in His life on earth made no plans for Himself. He accepted God's plans for Him, and day by day the Father unfolded His plans.”  —Ellen G. White, The Ministry of Healing, p. 479. 

The question is whether we trust God and believe His love enough to allow Him to plan for us in our careers, our relationships our finances and our ministries. We have the promise from Philippians 1:6 that “He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” and if God is wise enough to plan for and accomplish our salvation through our countless mistakes and midcourse corrections, then He is more than wise enough to plan for our daily lives. 

~Michael Duncan