Month: January 2014

 

DAILY?READINGS: Gen. 27; Job 34-35; Matt. 14:13-36

Make us a king to judge us like all the nations.     1 Samuel 8:5
And the Lord said unto Samuel…they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them. 1 Samuel 8:7

It seems that even in the church there is a constant desire to usurp the Throne of God. Christ is the head of the church but so often He is replaced with a human hierarchy. He should be guiding the local assembly through His written Word, but elders often ignore the Bible when making decisions. He should be sovereign in my own heart and life but how often do I place myself on the throne and do things my own way? The Scriptures are clear, if I reject God’s Word to control my own life and behaviour, it means I am rejecting God and commandeering His throne.    —David Croudace

King of my life I crown Thee now, Thine shall the glory be;
Lest I forget Thy thorn-crowned brow, lead me to Calvary. —J. Hussey

 

DAILY?READINGS: Gen. 26; Job 32-33; Matt. 13:44 to 14:12

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.    2 Timothy 1:7

This verse outlines the contrast between what God has given us and what He has not given us. If we are fearful, He is not the source of that emotion. God is love and “perfect love casteth out fear” (1 John 4:18). On the other hand we should be experiencing power, love and a sound mind of which He is the giver. If we are lacking these, perhaps we “have not, because we ask not” (Jas. 4:2). May we all take spiritual inventory and ensure that we are enjoying these graces that God delights to give. —Ken Gross

May the mind of Christ my Saviour live in me from day to day.
By His love and pow’r controlling all I do and say.
—K. Wilkinson

 

DAILY?READINGS: Gen. 25; Job 31; Matt. 13:24-43

For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord’s death till he come.    1 Corinthians 11:26

\Several perspectives are emphasized in this lovely passage on the Lord’s Supper. Our hearts should be occupied with each. In this verse, we are to look backward to the cross and see our Saviour giving His life for us. Secondly, we are to look forward and anticipate His return, when we will not need the emblems anymore, but will see Him, be with Him, and be like Him. Again, we are to look upward to our great High Priest who is ever able to take our spiritual sacrifices and make them acceptable to God. Finally, we are to look inward. “Let a man examine himself” (v. 28), and then come with a pure heart to this holy feast. —Harold G. Smith

Calvary! O Calvary! Mercy’s vast unfathomed sea.
Love, eternal love to me, Saviour, we adore Thee! —Samuel T. Francis

 

DAILY?READINGS: Gen. 24; Job 29-30; Matt. 13:1-23

Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born…that I should bear witness unto the truth.    John 18:37
And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?    John 8:46

The sayings of Jesus, whether to a heathen governor or to the scribes and Pharisees exposed the darkness of the human heart. Yet remarkably, officers sent to arrest Him confessed that ”never man spake like this man” (John 7:46). The moral glory that shone from the Saviour silenced the most severe critics. His walk among men exhibited grace and truth. Would that we could emulate such characteristics.    —Drew Craig

Give me a faithful heart, likeness to Thee;
That each departing day henceforth may see,
Some work of love begun, some deed of kindness done,
Some wanderer sought and won; something for thee. —S. D. Phelps.

 

DAILY?READINGS: Gen. 23; Job 27-28; Matt. 12:22-50

The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.    Proverbs 8:22-23

The attributes that are given to wisdom in these verses are surely the attributes of our Lord Jesus Christ! It is He alone who worked with God in creating this world and placing humanity upon it. He was and is always God’s delight, doing only what pleases God. Those who hear and follow His ways will be blessed and wise and will have eternal life.    —G. Frear

Eternal wisdom! Thee we praise,
Thee the creation sings,
With Thy loved name, rocks, hills, and seas,
And heaven’s high palace rings.
­—Isaac Watts

 

DAILY?READINGS: Gen. 22; Job 25-26; Matt. 12:1-21

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.    1 Corinthians 15:58

What a challenge Paul gives here particularly in view of the preceding verses about the Lord’s return. It is worth noticing that this verse does not say to abound in work for the Lord, but in the work of the Lord. What is the difference? We must first find out what He wants us to do, before we can do the work of the Lord. Therefore, let us search the Scriptures diligently daily. There is work that is done for the Lord today, but it is not the work of the Lord. Let us take care to do what He commands and not what we think.  —Harold G. Smith

Teach me Thy will, O Lord, teach me Thy way;
Teach me to know Thy Word, teach me to pray. —William M. Bunyan

 

DAILY?READINGS: Gen. 20-21; Job 23-24; Matt. 11:2-30

Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.    Isaiah 1:18

This verse names four colours, three of which (scarlet, red and crimson) describe our sin-stained condition in God’s sight. The good news, however, is that cleansing is available through the sin-atoning death of the Lord Jesus Christ. If you wish to be “as white as snow,” put your undivided trust in Him!    —George Hall

What can wash away my sin?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!
—Robert Lowry

 

DAILY?READINGS: Gen. 19; Job 22; Matt. 10:24 to 11:1

Moses and Aaron among his priests, and Samuel among them that call upon his name; they called upon the Lord, and he answered them.    Psalm 99:6

Interestingly Samuel’s name means “heard of God” (1 Sam. 1:20). Several times he cried out to God and, “The Lord heard him” (1 Sam. 7:9; 8:6; 15:11). Usually it was on behalf of others. Samuel’s estimation of the importance of prayer is summed up in these words, “God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you” (1 Sam. 12:23). Is there someone you should be praying for today?    —Pete Smith

How sweet, how blèssed is the thought,
That Thou dost hear Thy people’s cries!
And whether Thou dost give or not,
‘Tis love that grants and love denies.
—Author Unknown

 

DAILY?READINGS: Gen. 18; Job 21; Matt. 10:1-23

The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.    Proverbs 21:1

Does God truly work in such a prominent way? Yes! Such a divine turning took place in the reign of King Ahasuerus more than 500 years before our Lord’s birth. Satan was working to destroy the nation of Israel. But God was in control. Esther, a Jewess, the new queen, was not only beautiful but courageous. She jeopardized her life to save her people, leaving the consequence to God. “And if I perish, I perish!” (Est. 4:16), she declared. God turned the king’s heart. The wicked Haman was hanged and God’s people saved. Surely He can and will move with power in your circumstances too.     —E. MacLelland

Now let the feeble all be strong, and make Jehovah’s arm their song,
His shield is spread o’er every saint, and thus supported, who shall faint?
—Philip Doddridge

 

DAILY?READINGS: Gen. 17; Job 20; Matt. 9:18-38

Thou gavest me no water for my feet…thou gavest me no kiss…my head with oil thou didst not anoint.    Luke 7:44-46

Simon had the Lord right in his home! Yet he gave Him no personal attention, not even the common courtesies of the day. He missed a wonderful opportunity because his heart was not in the right condition. This too can be the case at the Lord’s Supper. He is there in our midst and yet sometimes we have nothing to offer, not even, “Thank you Lord, for saving my soul.” Like Simon we can almost ignore the Saviour. May we see Him with the eye of faith, remember how He has forgiven us, and at what cost, and lavish all our love upon Him in praise and worship.    —Carl Knott

If now, with eyes defiled and dim, we see the signs, but see not Him;
O, may His love the scales displace, and bid us see Him face to face!
—Charles H. Spurgeon