Friday, February 28, 2014

 

DAILY?READINGS: Exodus 19; Psalms 58-59; Acts 10:24-48

This same Jesus shall so come in like manner. Acts 1:11
Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever. Hebrews 13:8

The statement has been made, “A ‘changing’ Christ for a ‘changing’ world.” But is that what is needed? Is that really the issue? Or is it that the world wants to change the rules to accommodate a sinful lifestyle, to resist what conscience knows is implicitly wrong? What is needed is not a change ahead to new things, but a change back to what has stood the test of time—given by the One who said, “I am the Lord, I change not!” (Mal. 3:6). The only thing that is new is His mercies, and they come every morning. Let’s thank the Lord that He who is untainted by time or trend never changes and is always the same. —Mark Kolchin

Yesterday, today, forever, Jesus is the same.
All may change, but Jesus never! Glory to His name!
—A. B. Simpson

Thursday, February 27, 2014

 

DAILY?READINGS: Exodus 18; Psalms 56-57; Acts 10:1-23

And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you. Ephesians 4:32

A young believer was asked what forgiveness is and gave this beautiful answer: “It is the odour that flowers breathe when they are trampled upon.” William MacDonald reminds us that “An unforgiving spirit in a believer breaks fellowship with the Father in heaven and hinders the flow of blessing.” Let’s beware that we do not harbour an unforgiving spirit and thereby, among other things, grieve the Holy Spirit (Eph. 4:30).    —W. Ross Rainey

Oh, what joy and peace we forfeit,
When forgiveness we withhold;
Fellowship with God is broken,
And the heart grows hard and cold.
—D. De Haan

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

 

DAILY?READINGS: Exodus 17; Psalm 55; Acts 9:32-43

And the Lord hath given a commandment concerning thee, That no more of thy name be sown: Out of the house of thy gods will I cut off the graven image and the molten image: I will make thy grave; for thou art vile. Nahum 1:14

Although an earlier generation of repentant Ninevites experienced God’s mercy in a dramatic revival that spared the wicked city (Jon. 3:10), the next century witnessed Assyria’s destruction for their reversion to evil. The idols in which they trusted were cut off and the Almighty promised to bury their name. It is a sad fate in comparison to Abraham, who departed from the same region and had his name perpetuated and made great by God (Gen. 12:2).    —K. R. Keyser


My name is in the book of life, oh, bless the name of Jesus;
I rise above all doubt and strife, and read my title clear. —D. S. Warner

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

 

DAILY?READINGS: Exodus 16; Psalm 52-54; Acts 9:1-31

These sought their listing among those who were registered by genealogy, but they were not found; therefore they were excluded from the priesthood as defiled. Ezra 2:62

Without a genealogy, the children of Barzillai were put out of the priesthood. Sometimes revival results in blessed reductions. One church leader said to another that they had experienced revival. The other replied, “That’s good. How many were added to the congregation?” The former responded, “None were added, but ten were subtracted.” The Lord prayed that the spiritual oneness of believers would declare the glory of God to the lost (John 17:21-23). If the unconverted and those in sin join our ranks, the spiritual vitality of the assembly and its evangelical efforts will wane.    —W. A. H.

Walk in the light: so shalt thou know, that fellowship of love;
His Spirit only can bestow, who reigns in light above. —B. Barton

Monday, February 24, 2014

 

DAILY?READINGS: Exodus 15; Psalm 51; Acts 8:5-40

And they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus. Acts 4:13

The sanctifying, transforming process of a Christian begins at conversion and reaches its perfection in glory. The disciples spent much time with their Master and the people observed that they were becoming like Him in attitude and character. This is God’s ultimate goal for His children. Time spent in His presence in prayer and the Word will transform us, so people will say, “He has been with Jesus.” This will mean emulating Him in His loving compassion to reach lost sinners. It will include a sacrificial life lived for others and not for self. God help us to be conformed to the image of His Son and not to the world (Rom. 8:29; 12:2).    —Milton Haack

Redeemed from sin and saved by grace, we shall behold His blessèd face,
The wonders of His love to trace, as we shall be with Jesus. —D. Gordon

Lord’s Day, February 23, 2014

 

DAILY?READINGS: Exodus 14:5-31; Psalms 49-50; Acts 7:30 to 8:4

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1
The Word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us. John 1:14

These sublime words take us back into a timeless, dateless past. It establishes the eternality, equality, and deity of the Son of God. The Word becoming flesh is an amazing mystery and Paul was caught up in the wonder of it. “Great is the mystery of godliness; God was manifest in the flesh” (1 Tim. 3:16). There is nothing that will consecrate the believer to yield to this blessed person than the realization of the majesty, glory, and power of Him whom they have trusted. —Jim Paul


Thou art the everlasting Word, the Father’s only Son;
God manifestly seen and heard, and heaven’s beloved One.
Worthy O Lamb of God art Thou, that every knee to Thee should bow.
—Josiah Conder

Saturday, February 22, 2014

 

DAILY?READINGS: Exodus 13 to 14:4; Psalms 47-48; Acts 7:1-29

I will declare the decree. Psalm 2:7a

There are many voices in the world today—voices demanding this, denouncing that. This is nothing new. This psalm contains many such voices, all clamouring for God’s attention and ultimately for His removal from their lives (vv. 1-3). And then God speaks! To the nations? Hardly. He confers with His Son. Then He responds to the nations through His Holy Spirit (vv. 10-12), giving the divine charge: “be wise” and “serve the Lord” and “rejoice with trembling.” The nations’ solution to its problems, then, as well as now, is found in God’s Son, Jesus Christ. Those who don’t respond to God’s voice will feel His anger; those who do, will receive His blessing.    —Norman Craig Funston

Praise, my soul, the King of heaven; to His feet your tribute bring.
Ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven, evermore His praises sing. —H. Lyte

Friday, February 21, 2014

 

DAILY?READINGS: Exodus 12:21-51; Psalm 45-46; Acts 6

Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.    1 Peter 5:7

What a privilege is ours as believers to be able to cast all our care on the Lord. The unbeliever has no one to turn to for help in despair. Yet, many times we try to bear it alone or we give our burdens to the Lord and then take them back again. Why? When such a God is ours—He who can bear our burdens and us, too. “Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you” (Ps. 55:22).    —Rex Trogdon

Leave it there, leave it there,
Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there.
If you trust and never doubt, He will surely bring you out,
Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there.
—Charles A. Tindley

Thursday, February 20, 2014

 

DAILY?READINGS: Exodus 11 to 12:20; Psalm 44; Acts 5:12-42

And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, (pleasant) call me Mara (bitter): for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me. Ruth 1:20

“Ami ngu kawa!” (I am a dog!) said the old lady when we asked her for her name. “No one cares for me; everyone has forsaken me. Some will toss a little left over food my way like they do to their dogs!” Being without Christ she was indeed without hope. How sad however, when a believer thinks like Naomi, that life has dealt them a bitter blow. True, she had lost two sons but we read that God had given her a daughter-in-law who “loves you and is better than seven sons” (Ruth 4:15). In our darkest hour we must hold on to God’s unfailing promises. —David Croudace

Midst the darkness, storm and sorrow, one bright gleam I see;
Well I know the blessed morrow, Christ will come for me. —Paul Gerhardt

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

 

DAILY?READINGS: Exodus 10; Psalms 42-43; Acts 4:32 to 5:11

And Simon Peter said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. Matthew 16:16

Peter had seen beyond the “Son of Man” (Luke 9:22), to the “Son of the Living God.” He had recognized that behind the veil of Christ’s flesh, absolute deity was enshrined in all its fullness. Others had marvelled at the wonderful works that the Lord had done, but Peter goes further. It isn’t just that God is “with” Him, but that He Himself “is” God of very God. Many today would be prepared to acknowledge the greatness of Christ as a historical figure, but anything short of acknowledged deity will not suffice. Our salvation depends on Him being, not only “Son of Man,” but “Son of the Living God.” It is only as such that He could be our Saviour. —W. H. Burnett

Verily God, yet become truly human;
Lower than angels to die in our stead. —H. d’A. Champney