Dear Family, 

Today is Sabbath, April 25, 2026. Today is Day 21 and Day 7 of Week 3 in our Count to Pentecost. 

Many of us are familiar with John 6:44 that indicates no one has access to Jesus except the Father draws him. Jesus also declared that He is the WAY. Scripture says no one can come to the Father except by Jesus.

John 6:44 No man can come to Me, except the Father which hath sent Me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.

Not only is Jesus the WAY to the Father, He is our WAY for being begotten by the Father and living forever in His Family.

Our heavenly Father has made Jesus‛ prominence in our salvation central to God‛s process of salvation for all of mankind. Below are a few examples.

• Jesus is the WORD (John 1: 1) 
• Jesus is the Anointed One, the Messiah (John 4: 25-26) 
• Jesus fulfilled the prophecies about the Suffering Messiah (Isaiah 53) 
• Jesus is the Perfect Sacrifice (Hebrews 10:14) 
• Jesus is the only One Who could pay the penalty for our sins (Hebrews 10:14-15)
• Jesus is our High Priest and our only Mediator (Hebrews 4:14; 1 Timothy 2:5) 
• Jesus is the Author and Finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2) 
• Jesus is the Door of the sheep fold (John 10:7) 

Ben Faulkner, Pastor  
© Copyright 2026, Church of the Sovereign God

Dear Family, 

Today is Friday, April 24, 2026. Today is Day 20 and Day 6 of Week 3 in our Count to Pentecost. 

A very wonderful and remarkable characteristic of Jesus is His capacity for compassion. Without a doubt, He is the epitome of compassion. The Bible describes many of the situations in which He demonstrated His intense compassion. 

Compassion is the word for a trait involving many other wonderful traits such as love, faith, mercy, forgiveness, pity, empathy, kindness, humility, patience. And, there are many more.  

It is a quality that involves more than just a feeling. When we are truly compassionate as Jesus was and is, there will be effort on our part. For example, we will not simply say, “Be warmed and fed” to a hungry man. Indeed, we would provide him food (James 2:16). When Jesus saw hunger and infirmity, He felt compassion. He fed them and “healed them all” (Matthew 14:14), He met their  needs. 

Matthew 12:15 But when Jesus knew it, He withdrew Himself from thence: and great multitudes followed Him, and he healed them all;  

Matthew 9:36 But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. 

Clearly, Jesus feels for us because He knows we require His patience and mercy to go through the process of salvation with us. 

Lamentations 3:22 It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because His  compassions fail not. 

Psalm 103:14 For He knoweth our frame; He remembereth that we are dust. 

Our perfect Savior loves us with a perfect love and with perfect compassion. He wants us to enjoy and share this trait. His Word encourages us to do just that. 

1 Peter 3:8 Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be  pitiful, be courteous:

Ben Faulkner, Pastor  
© Copyright 2026, Church of the Sovereign God

Dear Family, 

Today is Thursday, April 23, 2026. Today is Day 19 and Day 5 of Week 3 in our Count to Pentecost. 

Jesus is our Sole Mediator. Mediation is often used as a legal term. And, because we have fallen  short of God‛s glory and because of our breaking God‛s laws and sinning against God (Romans 3:23),  all of humanity needs Jesus to mediate for them before the throne (the court) of the Almighty  God. Through our sin, we all incurred the death penalty. Thankfully, God made a way because of His  great love and the willingness of Jesus to be the needed payment. God inspired Paul to write that  there is One Mediatory between God and man (1 Timothy 2:5). Until Jesus fulfilled all of the legal  requirements for Himself and us, we had no access to God, the Father. Our sins had cut us off  from His presence. We could not legally even show up for court. 

Isaiah 59:2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid  His face from you, that He will not hear. 

No one other than Jesus could possibly do the job of mediating between God and man because all humans are completely disqualified as soon as we sin. Jesus alone can be the Mediator and act on  our behalf because He has all the qualifications and the answers. He is the only worthy One for  many reasons. Several are listed below. 

• Jesus never sinned (Hebrews 4:15) 
• Jesus fully paid our death penalty (Romans 6:23) 
• Jesus is the Creator of all of mankind (Colossians 1:16) 
• Jesus is the literal Begotten of God (John 3:16) 
• Jesus is literally the Firstborn from the dead (Colossians 1:18, Revelation 1:5) • Jesus is the beginner and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2) 
• Jesus was completely submitted to His Father 
• Jesus loves us enough 

Romans 8:37-39 (37) Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved  us. (38) For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, (39) Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be  able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Ben Faulkner, Pastor  
© Copyright 2026, Church of the Sovereign God

Dear Family, 

Today is Wednesday, April 22, 2026. Today is Day 18 and Day 4 of Week 3 in our Count to  Pentecost. 

We know that Jesus remained with His faithful disciples for 40 days after His resurrection, fellowshipping with them, teaching them, comforting them.  

And, He had to return to His Father in heaven to set in motion the granting of the promise of the Holy Spirit. 

Jesus told His disciples that they would receive power from on high. It was a promise of the Father. 

Luke 24:49 And, behold, I send the promise of My Father upon you: but tarry ye in the City of  Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.  

Having received all power in heaven and earth and returning to heaven, Jesus also received gifts for men. Notice this in Psalms. 

Psalm 68:18 Thou hast ascended on high, Thou hast led captivity captive: Thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among them.  

Paul also refers to these gifts for men in the Book of Ephesians. Paul adds to the idea that Jesus now gave (past tense) the gifts unto men. 

Ephesians 4:8 Wherefore He saith; When He ascended up on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. 

Today, let‛s look briefly at the statement that Jesus led captivity captive. 

Until the completed work of Jesus Christ, captivity reigned. After the completed work of Jesus Christ, captivity was now captive. That is what the Bible indicates!  

What was the captivity? Through the years of keeping the annual festivals we learned the physical captivity of ancient Israel in the land of Egypt is a type of a spiritual captivity. Through the Days of Unleavened Bread we learn that God delivered His people, ancient Israel, from Egypt.  

Now, the work of Jesus Christ, the true Passover Lamb, made that possible in the spiritual realm! 

Christ‛s leading captivity captive involved going to the very root of the problem. It required that  Jesus, Himself, never be made a captive. It required that Jesus never give in to the power of the enemy of God, Satan the devil! And, that is exactly the way it was. Jesus never failed! In fact, He never even flinched. Even in the face of the power of darkness, He did not wimp out. Jesus knew the power of darkness must have its day! 

Luke 22:53 When I was daily with you in the Temple, ye stretched forth no hands against Me: but this is your hour, and the power of darkness. 

The power that the devil has held over mankind is a power of darkness. It is a power of evil, and deceit, and fear!  

Hebrews 2:14-16 (14) Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same; that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; (15) And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. (16) For verily He took not on Him the nature of angels; but He took on Him the seed of Abraham. 

Notice that the root of the power the devil has held over mankind is the root of fear. Humans fear death (15). They fear loss of self-esteem, personhood, independence, and so on. They fear many  things.  

God‛s victory over the power of darkness was completed when Christ Jesus rose from the grave!  Praise God! 

Ben Faulkner, Pastor  
© Copyright 2026, Church of the Sovereign God

Dear Family, 

Today is Tuesday, April 21, 2026. Today is Day 17 and Day 3 of Week 3 in our Count to Pentecost. 

When God the Father brought Jesus from the grave where He had been dead for 3 nights and 3 days, the Bible records that Jesus was declared or proclaimed to be the Son of God with power.  Romans 1:4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by  the resurrection from the dead:  

Obviously, something very significant had taken place with the sinless life of the Lamb of God and with the literal sacrifice of the Lamb of God that had been slain by God‛s intent from the  foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8).  

And, obviously, the resurrection of Jesus to eternal life was monumental! After all, NEVER had a human being been resurrected back to life IN THIS MANNER!  

Just prior to His death, Jesus had prayed that the Father would glorify Him with the same glory He had enjoyed before His human existence.  

John 17:5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with  thee before the world was.  

BUT, there was more! Just what did the Father give unto His resurrected Son?  Jesus Himself said that He had been given ALL POWER IN HEAVEN AND IN EARTH!  Matthew 28:17-19 (17) And when they saw Him, they worshipped Him: but some doubted. Can you believe that while some came to worship, others still doubted!!  

(18) And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying; All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth.  (19) Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  

We rarely focus on this aspect of the Days of Unleavened Bread; the resurrection and what it  actually means for the Plan of God; especially for God‛s Plan as it affects those of us in His Church  today! YET, this is a very important detail in God‛s Plan!  

With the completed work of the human Jesus Christ, and now with the resurrection of the eternal Jesus Christ, God had set up everything that was necessary for the next step in His very well ordered, and exactly sequenced master plan for mankind; the receiving of the Holy Spirit! 

Ben Faulkner, Pastor  
© Copyright 2026, Church of the Sovereign God

Dear Family, 

Today is Monday, April 20, 2026. Today is Day 16 and Day 2 of Week 3 in our Count to Pentecost. 

The Bible calls Jesus by several titles. In His genealogy (Luke 3:23-38), Jesus is called the Son of  Adam. He is called the Son of David (Romans 1:3), the Son of God (Matthew 16:16), and the Son of  Abraham (Hebrews 2:16-17). He is also referred to as the Son of Man. Jesus frequently referred  to Himself by this title. Each of those titles is significant in the story of our salvation.  

Scripture that draws attention to the title of the Son of Man helps us to focus on the full humanity  of Jesus. For example, He hungered, He ate, He slept, He got dusty from foot travel, He wept, and as a real Human; and, He truly died.  

Jesus came in real human flesh for several legal reasons. Hebrews gives us a few reasons. He was  human so He could be tempted as we are tempted, overcome temptations by the power of God, and become an empathetic high priest who is truly touched by our infirmities. 

Hebrews 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 

Because of Who He was to become a flesh and blood and bone human; Jesus our Creator, His life was the only worthy Sacrifice to pay for the sins of all of mankind. He willingly became the One and Once for all Sacrifice that would suffice. 

Hebrews 10:12 But This Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the  right hand of God. 

Praise God for His awesome Gift! 

Ben Faulkner, Pastor  
© Copyright 2026, Church of the Sovereign God

Dear Family, 

Today is Sunday, April 19, 2026. Today is Day 15 and Day 1 of Week 3 in in our Count to Pentecost. 

When Jesus walked this earth as a human, He was God’s “only Begotten Son,” This means the  Almighty God, the Highest, fathered Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit. God’s divine nature was in  Jesus. He had the Holy Spirit without measure. Now Jesus has been born of God. He is no longer  just “begotten.” 

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever  believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life  

For about 2000 years now, God has been calling Disciples to Jesus and granting them the Holy  Spirit to “beget them.” The Spirit within them became a possibility after God accepted Jesus as the Wavesheaf. Jesus had told His Disciples that the Spirit was with them and shall be in them in  John 14:17. 

God’s Word shows that He had made His Spirit available to His servants in the Old Testament, but it was not yet to “begat” them and place His Spirit within. God has granted the Spirit for special  tasks to some of His servants. For example, God’s Spirit was given to anoint David. Others had  access to God’s Spirit to prophesy or to improve skills required for an assigned job like building the Ark of the Covenant. Below are a few scriptures on this topic. None of them were yet “begotten.”  God’s Spirit can be ON, WITH, or WITHIN (i.e.to beget).  

Psalm 51:11(B) …take not Thy holy spirit from me. 

1 Samuel 10:6 And the Spirit of the LORD will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man 

Exodus 31:2-3 (2) I have called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of  Judah: (3) And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in  knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, 

Because of Jesus, now True Believers can also be “begotten” by God’s Spirit and be WITHIN after repentance, baptism, and laying on of hands. What a privilege!

Ben Faulkner, Pastor  
© Copyright 2026, Church of the Sovereign God

Dear Family, 

Today is Sabbath, April 18, 2026. Today is Day 14 and Day 6 of Week 2 in our Count to Pentecost. 

In the Book of Revelation, Jesus, our Savior and Creator, refers to Himself several times as the  Alpha and Omega. A similar reference is found in Isaiah. 

Revelation 1:8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the LORD, which is, and  which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. 

Revelation 21:6(A) He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the  End.  

Revelation 22:13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. 

Isaiah 44:6 Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and His redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside Me there is no God. 

Using the phrase (Greek words) “Alpha and Omega” suggests a beginning, a sequence, and an end. As  we know, God is Eternal and has no beginning. So, Jesus was suggesting a sequence of events and a  bringing of those events. 

Jesus tells us in Revelation that He will make all things new. That suggests another beginning of  something.  

Revelation 21:5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” 

Psalm 102:25-26 (25) Of old hast Thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the  work of Thy hands. (26) They shall perish, but Thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed: 

It is interesting to note that many Hebrew scholars object to the wording in Genesis 1:1 of “In the  beginning…” Rather, they translate the phrase as, “In a beginning.” Wow, what might Jesus have in  mind! Perhaps, infinite new beginnings.

Ben Faulkner, Pastor  
© Copyright 2026, Church of the Sovereign God

Dear Family,  

Today is Friday, April 17, 2026. Today is Day 13 and Day 6 of Week 2 in our Count to Pentecost.  

The Book of Matthew provides us with a statement about what Jesus’ Father felt about Him.  Following Jesus’ baptism by John the Baptist in the Jordan River, Jesus’ Father spoke from  heaven.  

Matthew 3:16-17 (16) And Jesus, when He was baptized, went up straightway out of the water:  and, lo, the heavens were opened unto Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and  lighting upon Him: (17) And lo a voice from heaven, saying; This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well  pleased. 

The event has great significance. It appears that God anointed Jesus with the Holy Spirit at the  beginning of His earthly ministry. God His Father had been guiding Jesus’ preparation for the  ministry He would do and the Work He was assigned to complete; the Chosen One, Messiah, the  Christ. This event marked a new phase in God’s plan of salvation for mankind.  

Isaiah 61:1-3 (1) The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me; because the Lord hath anointed Me to  preach good tidings unto the meek; He hath sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim  liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; (2) To proclaim the  acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; (3) To  appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for  mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of  righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He might be glorified. 

The event marked the beginning of fulfilling of the work of preaching the gospel, healing the  brokenhearted, and preaching deliverance to the captives and those in bondage. Still, some of that  prophecy is yet to be completely fulfilled. Jesus will faithfully complete this appointed work and  proclaim the acceptable of the Lord and the day of vengeance of our God.

Ben Faulkner, Pastor  
© Copyright 2026, Church of the Sovereign God

Dear Family, 

Today is Thursday, April 16, 2026. Today is Day 12 and Day 5 of Week 2 in our Count to Pentecost. 

In the New Testament, Jesus is called the Son of David. He is rightfully the Son of David because  His ancestral bloodline goes all the way back to King David through His mother, Mary. That  genealogy is found in Luke 1.  

It is very significant that God provided prophesies regarding Jesus’ sitting on the throne of David to indicate that Jesus is a legitimate bloodline heir to David’s throne. God promised David his son would sit for ever on his throne. And Jesus is not going to usurp that throne! It belongs to Him! 

God validated those prophecies again in the New Testament by providing the bloodline genealogy.  The last part of those prophecies will be fulfilled at the return of Christ. That will usher in the  kingdom where there shall be no end. 

Psalm 132:11 The LORD hath sworn in truth unto David; He will not turn from it; Of the fruit of  thy body will I set upon thy throne. 

Luke 1:32-33 (32) He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God  shall give unto Him the throne of His father David: (33) And He shall reign over the house of Jacob  forever; and of His kingdom there shall be no end. 

Ben Faulkner, Pastor  
© Copyright 2026, Church of the Sovereign God