Month: September 2014

 

DAILY?READINGS: 1 Kings 22; Jeremiah 33; Hebrews 4:14 to 5:10

That ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.   Romans 12:2

God’s will is perfect. Because of who He is, it can be nothing else. But as God’s perfect will unfolds in practical terms in my life, we may well ask—is God’s will welcome? Many a soul has cried out to God in the midst of their distress and wondered if this could be His loving plan for them. When the final assize is made, we will find that His will was perfect for us. If we acknowledge Christ as Lord, we ought to bow to His will and seek grace to live it out and thus honour Him in our lives. —Brian Powlesland

Thy way and all thy sorrows, give thou into His hand,
His gracious care unfailing, who doth the heav’ns command.
—P. Gerhardt

 

DAILY?READINGS: 1 Chronicles 7; Ezekiel 10; John 2:23 to 3:21

Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send labourers into His harvest.  Matthew 9:38

We feel blessed to have several missionary friends. They serve our Lord in many places around the world. Some live in big cities where crime is all around. Others live in countries where the government is harsh and frightening. Many work in poor areas where food and clothing are scarce and living conditions are deplorable. Why do believers do this? Because they have a desire to spread the good news of the gospel to those who need to hear of God’s love. Have you prayed for a missionary today? —D. Douglas

So send I you to labour unrewarded,
To serve unpaid, unloved, unsought, unknown;
To bear rebuke, to suffer scorn and scoffing,
So send I you to toil for Me alone. —E. M. Clarkson

 

DAILY?READINGS: 1 Kings 21; Jeremiah 32:26-44; Hebrews 4:1-13

As the truth of Christ is in me.  2 Corinthians 11:10

How would you describe a good man? In this passage, Paul mentions two things from his own life that are excellent traits of a good man. First of all he should be marked by transparency (vv. 7-9). Transparency is a difficult virtue, as it means one must be vulnerable and open to those around him. Paul chose to be humble, so others could be exalted, (v. 7a); and impoverished, so others could be enriched, (vv. 7b-9). Secondly a good man should be a man of affection, (vv. 10-11). Paul’s love for these difficult Corinthians knew no bounds, geographically (v. 10), or personally (v. 11). He was boundless in his affection for them. Oh that God would raise up such men! —Norman Craig Funston

All that is good, all that is right; all that is truth, justice and light;
All that is pure, holy indeed, all that is You is all that I need. —T. Paris

 

DAILY?READINGS: 1 Kings 20; Jeremiah 32:1-25; Hebrews 3

I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the Lord.  Isaiah 63:7
How excellent is Thy lovingkindness, O God.  Psalm 36:7
Hear me, O Lord: for Thy lovingkindness is good.  Psalm 69:16

One modern rendering of “lovingkindness” is “steadfast love”. Unswerving, immoveable, unchanging, such is God’s precious love towards us. David describes God’s lovingkindness as excellent—costly and precious. When he prays, he pleads that God would answer him according to the constant wellspring of that steadfast love. When the soul appreciates the worth of His love—it wants for nothing else.  —Pete Smith

The love of God is greater far,
Than tongue or pen can ever tell;
It goes beyond the highest star,
And reaches to the lowest hell. —F. M. Lehman

 

DAILY?READINGS: 1 Kings 19; Jeremiah 31; Hebrews 2

Because it is written, Be ye holy, for I am holy.  1 Peter 1:16
If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.  1 Peter 2:3
Unto you therefore who believe he is precious.  1 Peter 2:7a

God is holy. And because He is holy, sin must be judged. As sinners, each one of us stood in jeopardy of that judgement. But God is gracious. And Christ has died in our place and paid the price of our sins in full. Having accepted His grace by faith, we grow in our spiritual life and find that He is precious, in fact more so day by day. He is holy! He is gracious! He is precious! —Sam Thorpe

Teach me Thy love, O gracious Son of God!
The love that passeth knowledge teach Thou me.
Like living water let that love flow in,
In heavenly freshness coming straight from Thee.
—Horatius Bonar

 

DAILY?READINGS: 1 Kings 18; Jeremiah 30; Hebrews 1

To present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight.  Colossians 1:22

The idea of blamelessness in the Old Testament means being purged to a point of clarity or pure transparency. God desired His people to be blameless (Deut. 18:13) and He loved to use people who were blameless to show Himself strong (2 Chron. 16:8-9). In the New Testament, God is still looking for blameless people. Graciously He enables us to be blameless before Him because of Jesus’ death (Col. 1:22). But He does more than that. He keeps us blameless (1 Thess. 5:23) and one day He will present us blameless to God our Saviour (Jude 1:24)! May God help us to live blameless lives before Him. —L. Devries

I stand amazed in the presence, of Jesus the Nazarene.
And wonder how He could love me, a sinner, condemned, unclean.
—Charles H. Gabriel

 

DAILY?READINGS: 1 Kings 17; Jeremiah 29; Philemon

Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.  1 Timothy 4:13

Paul called Timothy his true son in the faith. We would do well to heed his fatherly advice and give attention to these three things he mentions. Reading. The only way we can know the mind of God is to read His Word. Read it daily. Read it often. Exhortation. The ministry of encouraging fellow believers in their walk with the Lord is greatly needed today. Is there someone you can encourage in the Lord? Doctrine. We need to know what we believe and why we believe it. Have you made yourself conversant with the foundations of your faith? Give attendance to these things! —Rex Trogdon

The Bible stands though the hills may tumble, It will firmly stand when the earth shall crumble; I will plant my feet on its firm foundation,
for the Bible stands. —Haldor Lillenas

 

DAILY?READINGS: 1 Kings 15:33-16:34; Jeremiah 27-28; Col. 4:2-18

And the Lord answered the angel that talked with me with good words and comfortable words.   Zechariah 1:13

Zechariah was prophesying in difficult days. His message was going to be hard to deliver. But he could not see a way out of this circumstance, so at the threshold of his prophecy he was given words of grace and comfort. Does it look exceeding dark ahead? Remember the Lord loves you and His love will direct you into clearer waters. The angel of the Lord goes on to say to Zechariah “The Lord shall yet comfort Zion” (v. 17). There was light at the end of the tunnel!  —Brian Russell

When morning breaks and shadows flee, how sweet Thy mercies new;
More cheering than the rising sun; more sparkling than the dew.
—B. Fell

 

DAILY?READINGS: 1 Kings 15:1-32; Jeremiah 26; Colossians 3:5 to 4:1

Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.  James 4:9

The modern world seems obsessed with pleasure, laughter, and “positive thinking”. Sadly, this shortsighted, now-centered thinking also infects the professing church. A shallow version of Christianity is popular today—short on substance and long on entertainment. What is truly needed is heartfelt sorrow over sin and repentance from spiritual apathy. A joy that is rooted in this world is baseless. True joy must be rooted in the Lord and His Word. If you are backsliding, turn back to the Lord by walking in the Spirit through prayer and the Word of God (Gal. 5:16). Humble yourself and He will exalt you. —K. R. Keyser

Make ye straight what long was crooked, make the rougher places plain,
Let your hearts be true and humble, as befits His holy reign. —J. O.