Previous Sabbath Thoughts
2021 2022 2023 2024 2025Things God Cannot (Will Not) Do! Part 26 — May 2, 2026
It is impossible for God the Father or Jesus Christ to create evil or perform evil deeds. Psalm 5:4-5, “For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness, Nor shall evil dwell with You. The boastful shall not stand in Your sight; You hate all workers of iniquity.” God is the opposite of evil and darkness. 1 John 1:5, “This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.” God is total light and goodness. James 1:17, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.” God allows evil for a good purpose, free will. Without a choice between good and evil, love and hate humanity would just be automatons doing what God had preprogrammed us to do. That is not what God wants from us. God wants us to freely chose to love Him, to obey Him, and to love our neighbor in the midst of undesirable alternatives. Psalm 45:7, “You love righteousness and hate wickedness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness more than Your companions.” Satan introduced evil into the universe by rebelling against God. John 8:44, “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.” God allows hate and evil, but a day of judgment is coming.” Psalm 96:13, “For He is coming, for He is coming to judge the earth. He shall judge the world with righteousness, And the peoples with His truth.” God the Father has appointed Jesus our Messiah as the Judge of all humankind, and desires that all repents in order to receive a good judgment. 1 Timothy 2:3-4, “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” Acts 17:30-31, “Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.” Let us chose good over evil and love over hate so that we might receive a good reward in the day of judgment.
Jesus Became Human to Show Us God is Humble — April 24, 2026
The Bible tells us that Jesus is the express image, the exact representation, of God the Father. Hebrews 1:3a (NLT) “The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God.” (TMSG) ”This Son perfectly mirrors God, and is stamped with God’s nature.” Jesus said He and the Father are the same in character, purpose, justice, and love. John 10:30, “I and My Father are one.” John 14:9, “Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, “Show us the Father”?’” Jesus becoming human to die for the sins all humanity shows us His humility that reflects the humility of God the Father. Philippians 2:7-8, “but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.” Here are two more scriptures that describe what Jesus did for all humanity. 2 Corinthians 8:9, “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.” 2 Corinthians 10:1a, “Now I, Paul, myself am pleading with you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ.” There are several scriptures that state God loves the humble and will grant them to live with Him with eternal life in His Spiritual Kingdom. Isaiah 57:15, “For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: ‘I dwell in the high and holy place, With him who has a contrite and humble spirit, To revive the spirit of the humble, And to revive the heart of the contrite ones.’” In other words, the Father wants to dwell with those who are humble like Him. Jesus promises us spiritual rest if we follow His example as best we can. Matthew 11:29 (NLT), “Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Even though God is all powerful, holy, righteous, and glorious, He is humble in showing His love for humanity, listening to our prayers, sacrificing His Son for our sin, and offering us the gift of eternal life in His heavenly family.
Things God Cannot (Will Not) Do! Part 25 — April 18, 2026
It is impossible for God to temp us with evil. James 1:13, “Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am tempted by God’; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.” To temp someone is to try to influence someone with something wrong to do. To test someone is to give someone a difficult task of obedience. However, most of the time we are tempted by the desires of our carnal nature and the world around us. James 1:12-15, “Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am tempted by God’; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.” King David said the following in a prayer as he commissioned his Solomon to build the Temple. 1 Chronicles 29:17, “I know also, my God, that You test the heart and have pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of my heart I have willingly offered all these things; and now with joy I have seen Your people, who are present here to offer willingly to You.” King David also wrote a Psalm where he asked God to show him any wicked ways he needed to eliminate in order to become a more Godly person. Psalm 139:23-24, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.” God will also test us to determine what reward to give us. Jeremiah 17:10, “I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings.” We all have tests and trials. We need to remember what is accomplished in our spiritual lives by going through them. James 1:2-4, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” 1 Peter 1:6-7, “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
Jesus Became Human to Heal Broken Hearts — April 11, 2026
A significant prophecy is in Isaiah 61:1-3 foretelling the uplifting message Jesus would preach as the Messiah. “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, Because the Lord has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn, To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.” Jesus read this scripture in the synagogue in Nazareth on a Sabbath day as noted in Luke 4:16-19. Jesus then said, Luke 4:21, “And He began to say to them, ‘Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.’” After His last Passover on this earth, Jesus talked about giving us peace in our hearts. John 14:1, 27, “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. … Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” Jesus also told the multitudes that followed Him that He could ease their burdens. Matthew 11:28-30, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” By believing in Jesus as our Savior, spiritual peace will guard our hearts. Philippians 4:6-7, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” The Apostle Peter expresses this is a different way. 1 Peter 5:6-7, “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” Both God the Father and Jesus the Christ love us dearly as the followers of Jesus and children of the Father. Peter articulates this by stating They both care about us. To care about someone means to hold them in high regard, treating them as important and valuable while consistently showing interest in their well-being, thoughts, and feelings. It involves empathy, listening to our prayers, taking action to support our happiness, and considering how actions affect us. This is how God feels about us, His great depth of love for us.
Why Unleavened Bread? — April 4, 2026
Why does God want us to eat unleavened bread for Passover and the seven days of God’s commanded Feast of Unleavened Bread? God originally commanded the Israelites to eat unleavened bread for seven days when He brought the out of the land of Egypt. Exodus 12:17-20, “So you shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for on this same day I will have brought your armies out of the land of Egypt. Therefore you shall observe this day throughout your generations as an everlasting ordinance. In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at evening, you shall eat unleavened bread, until the twenty-first day of the month at evening. For seven days no leaven shall be found in your houses, since whoever eats what is leavened, that same person shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he is a stranger or a native of the land. You shall eat nothing leavened; in all your dwellings you shall eat unleavened bread.” God said this was to be a memorial to remind Israel that God had rescued Israel out of the land of Egypt. Exodus 13:7-10, “Unleavened bread shall be eaten seven days. And no leavened bread shall be seen among you, nor shall leaven be seen among you in all your quarters. And you shall tell your son in that day, saying, ‘This is done because of what the Lord did for me when I came up from Egypt.’ It shall be as a sign to you on your hand and as a memorial between your eyes, that the Lord’s law may be in your mouth; for with a strong hand the Lord has brought you out of Egypt. You shall therefore keep this ordinance in its season from year to year.” Because this was to remind them of how God’s many mighty miracles had freed them from Egypt, it was called the bread of affliction. Deuteronomy 16:3, “You shall eat no leavened bread with it; seven days you shall eat unleavened bread with it, that is, the bread of affliction (for you came out of the land of Egypt in haste), that you may remember the day in which you came out of the land of Egypt all the days of your life.” The Apostle Paul told the Corinthian church they should keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread. He emphasized the spiritual lessons we should learn from this, humility, purity, and truth. 1 Corinthians 5:6-8, “Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” The Gospels record Jesus keeping the Passover after which immediately follows the Days of Unleavened Bread. On His last Passover Jesus blessed some unleavened bread, broke it and handed it to His disciples with this message. Luke 22:19, “Taking bread, he blessed it, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body, given for you. Eat it in my memory.’” The Apostle Paul again admonishes the Corinthians to partake of unleavened bread once a year at Passover to remember the suffering of Jesus. 1 Corinthians 11:24, 26, “and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, ‘Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’ … For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.” The seven feasts and holy days of God teach us many spiritual lessons about God’s love for us and His Plan of Salvation. All Christians would do well to keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread from April 2 through 8 this year.
Passover — March 28, 2026
Passover is next Tuesday, March 31, after sunset. Passover represents the first and most important event in God the Father’s Plan of Salvation. Without the significance of Passover, the sacrifice of the Son of God for the forgiveness of sins, nothing else would matter. Acts 4:12, “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” John 3:16-17, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” The righteous judgement of God the Father required a penalty for sin, the shedding of blood. Only the shedding of the blood of the Son of God, God in the flesh, could all sins from Adam and Eve down through the end of time be forgiven. Hebrews 9:22, 26b-28a, “And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission. … but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many.” Jesus gave the New Testament Passover symbols that all Christians should observe once a year. Matthew 26:26-28, “And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, ‘Take, eat; this is My body.’ Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.’” The Apostle Paul summarized this again in 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, “For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, ‘Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’ In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.’ For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.” Passover is one of the seven annual commanded feasts of God that Jesus kept, told His followers to keep, was kept by all the New Testament Churches for hundreds of years, and is still kept by some church as we all should. After giving the new “foot washing ceremony,” Jesus said, John 13:15, 17, “For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. … If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.” May we all find a church group that keeps the Passover as Jesus commanded so we can be blessed by the Father and forgiven of our sins.
Things God Cannot (Will Not) Do! Part 24 — March 21, 2026
God has promised His believers that He will never allow them to be tempted beyond what they can bear. 1 Corinthians 10:13, “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” God allows His followers to have tests, trials, troubles, even persecution, but He promises to deliver them. Psalm 34:17-19, “The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, And delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the Lord delivers him out of them all.” Psalm 55:22, “Cast your burden on the Lord, And He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.” Yes, sometimes that deliverance comes by death. Most of the apostles and many New Testament Christians were martyred. But through death, they were delivered from their difficulties and will be rewarded with eternal life in the Kingdom of God. Romans 8:35-39, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: ‘For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.’ Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” 2 Timothy 4:18, “And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen!” Jesus promised no one would be able to permanently separate His disciple from Him and God the Father. John 10:27-29, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.” The end result is what is important no matter how difficult the path. Romans, 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” God will reward His true and faithful followers. Those who do not will be punished. 2 Peter 2:9, “then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment.” Let us strive to be in the group of true believers who have the promise of eternal life after this physical life.
Jesus Became Human to Bring Us Joy — March 14, 2026
Most Christians will remember the angels singing “Peace on earth, good will toward men” to the shepherds at Jesus’ birth. But before that, a single angel told the shepherds, Luke 2:10, “Then the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.’” Jesus accomplished so many things necessary for us to receive salvation by becoming flesh and blood and then was crucified and resurrected. All of this, His teaching ministry, the forgiveness of sins, is meant to bring us great joy, especially spiritual joy. John 15:11, “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.” John 16:22, 24, “Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you. … Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.” In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed to the Father, John 17:13, “But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves.” Having believing faith in Jesus and the Father gives us hope, peace and joy. Romans 15:13, “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” We all have our tests and trials, but knowing the true words of God should always give us joy. 1 Thessalonians 1:6, “And you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit.” With the understanding we have of God’s truth and promises, we should always be filled with great joy. Philippians 4:4, “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!” In conclusion, let us read 1 Peter 1:6-9, “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.”
Things God Cannot (Will Not) Do! Part 23 — March 7, 2026
God cannot leave the work He is accomplishing in and with His people unfinished. When Jacob left Isaac and Rebecca to find a wife, God promised He would bring Jacob safely back. Genesis 28:15, “Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you.” King David told Solomon that God would guide him until he had finished the work of building the Temple of God. 1 Chronicles 28:20, “And David said to his son Solomon, ‘Be strong and of good courage, and do it; do not fear nor be dismayed, for the Lord God—my God—will be with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you, until you have finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord.’” There are many Millennial scriptures that state that God will reestablish and bless Israel. Let’s review just a few. Isaiah 2:2-3, “Now it shall come to pass in the latter days That the mountain of the Lord’s house Shall be established on the top of the mountains, And shall be exalted above the hills; And all nations shall flow to it. Many people shall come and say, ‘Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, To the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, And we shall walk in His paths.’ For out of Zion shall go forth the law, And the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.” Isaiah 33:20-21, “Look upon Zion, the city of our appointed feasts; Your eyes will see Jerusalem, a quiet home, A tabernacle that will not be taken down; Not one of its stakes will ever be removed, Nor will any of its cords be broken. But there the majestic Lord will be for us A place of broad rivers and streams, In which no [enemy] galley with oars will sail, Nor majestic ships pass by.” Isaiah 52:9-10, “Break forth into joy, sing together, You waste places of Jerusalem! For the Lord has comforted His people, He has redeemed Jerusalem. The Lord has made bare His holy arm In the eyes of all the nations; And all the ends of the earth shall see The salvation of our God.” This is also true for God’s spiritual Israelites of all nations. Jesus told His disciples to make disciples in all nations and, Matthew 28:20, “teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” The Apostle Paul talks about how God plans to save both Israelites and Gentiles in Romans 11. Christians have a general promise from God in Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” We live in a troubled world and we have our own tests and trials. But God promises to be with us through it all resulting in a good spiritual accomplishment. A most comforting scripture to conclude this discussion is Philippians 1:6, “being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.”
Jesus Became Human so we could be Healed — February 28, 2026
All Christians know Jesus became flesh and blood in order to die for the forgiveness of our sins. There are spiritual sins and there are physical sins. Isaiah 53:4-5, “Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.” Jesus became human for the forgiveness of both, including the forgiveness of our physical sins so we can be healed. Isaiah is referred to in Matthew 8:16-17 when Jesus was casting out demons and healing the sick. The Apostle Peter quotes it directly in 1 Peter 2:24, “who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.” We know Jesus healed many people during His three-and-a-half-year ministry. Matthew 4:23, “And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people.” The Passover symbols represent both the forgiveness of physical sins with Jesus broken body and the forgiveness of spiritual sins with His shed blood. Luke 22:19-20, “And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’ Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.’” All Christians should partake of the Passover symbols once a year, the meaning and consequence of not doing so are significant in both understanding and blessings from God. 1 Corinthians 11:26-30, “For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes. Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep.” The Apostle James tells us what we should do when we are sick. James 5:14-15, “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.” Healing is a difficult topic to discuss. Not all Christians follow this directive. Not all Christians have the required faith to be healed, trusting instead in doctors and medicine and our own health practices. Not that those in and of themselves are wrong, but we should not put our trust in them. And then there are those who seem to have great faith and they are not healed. Only God Himself knows why. Nevertheless, we all should put our faith in the stripes Jesus suffered for our healing. We will be healed, even if we have to wait for the resurrection at the Second Coming of Jesus for that to happen.
Things God Cannot (Will Not) Do! Part 22 — February 21, 2026
God cannot stop helping His people, it is not within His character as a loving God. Deuteronomy 33:26, “There is no one like the God of Jeshurun, Who rides the heavens to help you, And in His excellency on the clouds.” Yes, God does not always help His people immediately, it is more important that they learn some necessary lessons first in their spiritual journey into the Kingdom of God. King David experienced this and wrote about it often in the Psalms. Psalm 10:14, “But You have seen, for You observe trouble and grief, To repay it by Your hand. The helpless commits himself to You; You are the helper of the fatherless.” There are a multitude of Psalms that talk about God’s help, we will only look at a few. Psalm 27:9-10, “Do not hide Your face from me; Do not turn Your servant away in anger; You have been my help; Do not leave me nor forsake me, O God of my salvation. When my father and my mother forsake me, Then the Lord will take care of me.” Psalm 54:4, “Behold, God is my helper; The Lord is with those who uphold my life.” Psalm 121:1-8, “I will lift up my eyes to the hills— From whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel Shall neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is your keeper; The Lord is your shade at your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, Nor the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul. The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in From this time forth, and even forevermore.” Psalm 146:5, “Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, Whose hope is in the Lord his God.” God promises to help Israel in the future from their troubles. Isaiah 41:10, 13-14, “Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. … For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand, Saying to you, ‘Fear not, I will help you.’ “Fear not, you worm Jacob, You men of Israel! I will help you,” says the Lord And your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.” Isaiah 44:2, “Thus says the Lord who made you And formed you from the womb, who will help you: ‘Fear not, O Jacob My servant; And you, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen.” Around half of modern translation use a form of the word “help” instead of the old King James “comforter” in reference to what the Holy Spirit will accomplish in our lives as disciples of Jesus. John 14:16, 26, “And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever … But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” The Apostle Paul talks about how we have direct access to the Father through Jesus. Hebrews 4:16, “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” He then goes on to paraphrases Psalm 118:6 in Hebrews 13:6, “So we may boldly say: “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?””
Jesus became Human to Serve Humans — February 14, 2026
Jesus came to serve all humans in humility with Godly love, to die for us to forgive our sins. Matthew 20:28 (TMSG), “That is what the Son of Man has done: He came to serve, not be served—and then to give away his life in exchange for the many who are held hostage.” This is repeated in Mark 10:45, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” Luke states the same principle, but in a different way. Luke 22:27, “For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves? Is it not he who sits at the table? Yet I am among you as the One who serves.” This is most evident during Jesus’ last Passover on this earth when He washed the disciples’ feet, even Judas Iscariot’s feet. John 13:3-5, “Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.” While most Christian churches don’t perform this sacred ceremony on Passover evening, Jesus said we should. In addition, Jesus said out attitude should be one of serving others in humble love. John 13:12-17, “So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, ‘Do you know what I have done to you? You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.’” The Apostle Paul describes the humble service of Jesus in Philippians 2:5-8, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.” Let us remember the many scriptures quoted here and elsewhere in the Bible that we Christians are to serve one another, following the example Jesus set for us. Galatians 5:13-14, “For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”
Things God Cannot (Will Not) Do! Part 22 — February 7, 2026
Our Great God cannot ignore those who are broken hearted! The Bible refers to a broken heart as one that is crushed by sorrow, sin, or overwhelming circumstances, representing a state of spiritual brokenness that makes one receptive to God’s presence and healing. It signifies deep repentance, a contrite heart, and the abandonment of self-reliance to fully depend on God’s mercy. Psalm 51:17, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart— These, O God, You will not despise.” God promises to take care of the broken hearted. Psalm 147:3, “He heals the brokenhearted And binds up their wounds.” Humility and a broken heart go together and God pays attention to those who have both. Psalm 34:18, “The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit.” God made this promise to the people of Israel. 2 Chronicles 7:14, “if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” Our Eternal God has a soft spot in His heart, so to speak, for those who are humble. Isaiah 57:15, “ For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: ‘I dwell in the high and holy place, With him who has a contrite and humble spirit, To revive the spirit of the humble, And to revive the heart of the contrite ones.’” Isaiah also prophesied that the Messiah would heal the brokenhearted. Isaiah 61:1, “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, Because the Lord has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound.” Jesus read this scripture in a synagogue on the Sabbath and said He fulfilled it (Luke 4:16-21). The many acts of healing and forgiveness that Jesus performed demonstrate the healing of the brokenhearted. There are the examples of the woman who washed Jesus feet with her tears (Luke 7:39-40) and the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:21-32). Jesus promised to give peace to our troubled hearts. John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” The Apostle Paul echoed this in Philippians 4:6-7, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” We live in a troubled world. This will end when the Father and Son make their residence on this earth in the New Heavenly Jerusalem. At that time, there will be a new order of things where there will no longer be broken hearts. Revelation 21:4, “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”
Jesus Became Human to make us Clean — January 31, 2026
During His last Passover on this earth, Jesus washed the feet of all twelve of His disciples in an act of humility and to teach His disciples to serve one another in humility. This He said was also an act of cleansing them. John 13:5, 10, 14-15, “After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. … Jesus said to him, ‘He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you. … If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.’” This is another way of describing the forgiveness of sins, washing away our sins. Acts 22:16, “And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.” Paul summarized this in 1 Corinthians 6:11, “And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.” Titus 3:5 (NLT), “he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit.” Another way the Apostle Paul states this is that we are purified by Jesus. Titus 2:14, “who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.” Jesus not only cleansed us from our sins, but this also gives us a clear conscience. Hebrews 9:14, “how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” Hebrews 10:22, “let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.” Jesus primary mission on this Earth was to forgive our sins. Hebrews 1:3 (NLT), “The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven.” Jesus’ shed blood not only cleanses us as individuals, but it cleanses and sanctifies the whole Church of God. Ephesians 5:26-27, “that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.” The Apostle John expresses this clearly in some of the last books of the New Testament. 1 John 1:7, 9, “But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. … If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Let us close with Revelation 1:5-6, “and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”
Things God Cannot (Will Not) Do! Part 21 — January 24, 2026
It is impossible for God to forsake His people or forget them. This Sabbath we conclude this discussion with New Testament scriptures. Jesus told Peter He prayed that Peter’s faith would not fail (NKJV). “The Message Bible” paraphrases Luke 22:32 like this, “Simon, I’ve prayed for you in particular that you not give in or give out. When you have come through the time of testing, turn to your companions and give them a fresh start.” Once God selects someone for conversion, God will never let them go. John 10:28-30, “And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and My Father are one.” Shortly before Jesus’ death and resurrection, He promised His disciples He would never leave or forsake them. John 14:18, “I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.” God allows us to experience tests and trials to strengthen our faith in Him and develop Godly character. But the end result is always to help us become the children of God born into His heavenly kingdom. 2 Timothy 4:18, “And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen!” Paul encouraged the Hebrew brethren with two quotes from the Old Testament. Hebrews 13:5-6, “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ So we may boldly say: ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?’ ” Peter echoed what Paul said to Timothy. 1 Peter 1:5, “who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” To those who are true and faithful Christians, God promises to protect them from the Great Tribulation. Revelation 3:10, “Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.” While it is not always directly stated, there are a multitude of New Testament scriptures that state God will help us, strengthen us and guide us to the end of this life so that we enter the Kingdom of God. Philippians 1:6, “being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.” God is involved in Christian lives to help them succeed. Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” When God selects us for the purpose of having us born into His spiritual family, nothing can defeat that purpose. Romans 8:31, 37-39, “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? … Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Things God Cannot (Will Not) Do! Part 20 — January 17, 2026
This Sabbath we will continue our review of the scriptures that tell us it is impossible for God to abandon or forget His people. King David believed God would always take care of him. Psalm 27:10, “When my father and my mother forsake me, Then the Lord will take care of me.” Psalm 37:25, 28, “I have been young, and now am old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his descendants begging bread. … For the Lord loves justice, And does not forsake His saints; They are preserved forever, But the descendants of the wicked shall be cut off.” In this current world, God’s people may suffer greatly, even ending in death. But, we have to remember, for God’s people there is a promise of eternal life after this physical life. Psalm 55:22, “Cast your burden on the Lord, And He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.” To be remembered in the eyes of God, we have a responsibility to put our trust in God. Psalm 94:14, “For the Lord will not cast off His people, Nor will He forsake His inheritance.” When His people are disobedient, God will allow them to be punished. But He will never completely forget and abandon them. Isaiah 14:1 (NLT), “But the LORD will have mercy on the descendants of Jacob. He will choose Israel as his special people once again. He will bring them back to settle once again in their own land. And people from many different nations will come and join them there and unite with the people of Israel.” Isaiah 41:10, 17, “Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. … The poor and needy seek water, but there is none, Their tongues fail for thirst. I, the Lord, will hear them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.” Isaiah 44:21, “Remember these, O Jacob, And Israel, for you are My servant; I have formed you, you are My servant; O Israel, you will not be forgotten by Me!” Isaiah 49:14-15, “But Zion said, ‘The Lord has forsaken me, And my Lord has forgotten me.’ ‘Can a woman forget her nursing child, And not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, Yet I will not forget you.’” God has made promises to Israel past and future to bring them back from captivity. Jeremiah 29:10-14, “For thus says the Lord: After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform My good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place. For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back from your captivity; I will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you, says the Lord, and I will bring you to the place from which I cause you to be carried away captive.” Because of His great love for His people, God will never forget or abandon them. Jeremiah 31:3 (NLT), “Long ago the LORD said to Israel: ‘I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.’” Next Sabbath we will review the New Testament scriptures on this topic.
Things God Cannot (Will Not) Do! Part 19 — January 10, 2026
It is impossible for God to abandon or forget His people. God promised this to the Israelites as they left Egypt under the guidance of Moses. Moses reminded the Israelites of the promises God had made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Deuteronomy 4:31, “(for the Lord your God is a merciful God), He will not forsake you nor destroy you, nor forget the covenant of your fathers which He swore to them.” Moses reminded Joshua of this shortly before the Israelites crossed the Jordon into the land of Canaan. Deuteronomy 31:7-8, “Then Moses called Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, ‘Be strong and of good courage, for you must go with this people to the land which the Lord has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall cause them to inherit it. And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.’” God confirmed this by speaking directly to Joshua. Joshua 1:5, 9, “No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you. … Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” God foretold that Israel would disobey Him and He would allow their enemies to take them into captivity. However, God said He would eventually bring them back to Him. Leviticus 26:44, “ Yet for all that, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not cast them away, nor shall I abhor them, to utterly destroy them and break My covenant with them; for I am the Lord their God.” Even when Israel rejected God by asking for a king to rule over them, God said He would not abandon them. 1 Samuel 12:22, “For the Lord will not forsake His people, for His great name’s sake, because it has pleased the Lord to make you His people.” God also spoke to Solomon while he was building the Temple for God with this promise. 1 Kings 6:11-13, “Then the word of the Lord came to Solomon, saying: ‘Concerning this temple which you are building, if you walk in My statutes, execute My judgments, keep all My commandments, and walk in them, then I will perform My word with you, which I spoke to your father David. And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will not forsake My people Israel.’” Next Sabbath we will recite scriptures from the Psalms and the Prophets that emphasize that it is impossible for God to forsake and forget His people.
Reasons Jesus Became Human, To Make Us Blameless — January 3, 2026
The Bible uses several different ways to express how Jesus became God in the flesh in order to die for the forgiveness of our sins. Even though we all sin, the shed blood of Jesus removes those sins in order that we may appear blameless before God our Father. 1 Corinthians 1:7b-8, “…eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Ephesians 1:4, “just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love.” The Bible uses other terms similar to blameless to express this concept: without offense and faultless. Philippians 1:10, “that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ.” Jude 1:24, “Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy.” By believing in Jesus and living a good life it changes how we appear before God. Philippians 2:14-15, “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.” The New Living Translation expresses this very clearly in Colossians 1:22, “Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.” Jesus wants to make us sinless when we appear before God our Father at His Second Coming. 1 Thessalonians 3:13, “so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.” 1 Thessalonians 5:23, “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” This should be our goal in this life as we look forward to a new life in a new heaven and earth. 2 Peter 3:13-14, “Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless.”