Month: July 2020

Judges 4:1-24; Isaiah 25:1-12; 1 Corinthians 4:1-21

If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things that belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes. Luke 19:42

As our Lord wept over Jerusalem in the final days before His crucifixion, it pained Him to know that He had come to His own but they hadn’t received Him. Rejecting their promised Messiah, Israel had blinded themselves to His promised blessings. But our God is a promise-keeping God and He has not cast them off forever (Rom 11:1). He is fully trustworthy! —Rick Morse

Standing on the promises of Christ my King,
Through eternal ages let His praises ring. Glory in the highest,
I will shout and sing, Standing on the promises of God. —R. Kelso Carter

Judges 3:5-31; Isaiah 24:1-23; 1 Corinthians 3:1-23

And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. 1 Corinthians 2:4-5, NKJV

The truth does not need dressing up with man’s clever words. It is not the messenger, but the message. It is not the style, but the substance. The reason is simple—that our faith would rest in the power of God through His Word and by His Spirit. Let His Word do His work. —Rex Trogdon

How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent word!
What more can He say, than to you He hath said,
To you, who for refuge to Jesus have fled? —John Rippon

Judges 2:6-3:4; Isaiah 22:15-23:18; 1 Corinthians 2:1-16

So will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing: fear not, but let your hands be strong. Zechariah 8:13

We are saved to be a blessing, to be soldiers in the army of God, opposing the forces of evil. Our command is to “fear not.” Fear paralyzes, but faith empowers. “Let your hands be strong”, uplifted in prayer, wielding the sword of the Spirit. “Fear thou not; for I am with thee” (Isa. 41:10a). —D. Pickup

I may never march in the infantry,
Ride in the cavalry, shoot the artillery;
I may never fly o’er the enemy
But I’m in the Lord’s army. —Author Unknown

Judges 1:1-2:5; Isaiah 21:1-22:14; 1 Corinthians 1:1-31

The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 1 John 1:7b

Martin Luther recorded a dream that Satan came and told him he could never get to Heaven because he was such a dreadful sinner. “Have you a list of my sins?” Luther asked. “Yes,” said Satan and brought a long list of failures. Twice Luther asked if there were more and Satan brought him a long list. Again, Luther asked if there were any more. “That is all,” Satan said. “Then” cried Luther, “write now across them all ‘the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin (1 John 1:7).’” And Satan left! Have you been washed in the blood of Jesus Christ? —W. Ross Rainey

Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing power?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb? —Elisha A. Hoffman

Joshua 24:1-33; Isaiah 19:1-20:6; 2 Thessalonians 3:1-18

Then said Thomas…unto his fellow disciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him. John 11:16

Someone once asked me, “What is your greatest need?” My answer, “Young men and women wholly and utterly committed to their Lord and His Word, who are willing to go anywhere for Christ, seeking lost souls, even if it means dying on a foreign field and being buried in an unmarked grave in a remote jungle or city.” When the disciples seemed fearful to return to the place where their Lord had recently been stoned, Thomas had to urge them to live up to their commitment and be willing to die with Christ if need be. Am I so committed? —David Croudace

So send I you to die to dear desire, self-will resign,
So send I you to lose your life in Mine. —Margaret Clarkson

Joshua 23:1-16; Isaiah 17:1-18:7; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-17

The ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. 1 Peter 3:4

There are people who photograph themselves and then use computer software to improve their appearance, before visiting a plastic surgeon to explore the possibility of looking like their computer image. Researchers at Boston University call it “Snapchat Dysmorphia.” Christian’s bodies are “the temple of the Holy Spirit” (1 Cor. 6:19, NKJV). They should be treated with sanctity and our attractiveness should be found in exemplifying Christ-like character such as the “ornament of a meek and quiet spirit” (1 Peter 3:4). —Brian Powlesland

Give us Thy meek and lowly mind; we would obedient be;
And all our rest and pleasure find in fellowship with Thee. —James Deck

Joshua 22:1-34; Isaiah 15:1-16:14; 2 Thessalonians 1:1-12

But we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags. Isaiah 64:6, NKJV
He hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness. Isaiah 61:10

What had to occur to change our filthy rags to robes of righteousness? God says that no amount of soap or lye could do it; He still sees the stain of our guilt (Jer. 2:22). We could do nothing to cleanse away our sin. It took Jesus’ blood, shed on the cross to remove it. With redeemed hearts we can exclaim: “Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood” (Rev. 1:5)! —E. V.

Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow. —E. Hall

Joshua 20:1-21:45; Isaiah 14:1-32; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-28

He said, “Oh, my Lord, please send someone else.” Exodus 4:13, ESV

Moses’ excuse? I’m not eloquent! Gideon’s excuse? I am too weak! Jonah’s excuse? No thanks I’m leaving! What’s your excuse? God is still calling individuals to move out of their comfort zone and take the message of the Gospel to a people who are lost. The God who calls to service is also the God who equips for service. He’s not interested in our ability or lack thereof, He’s interested in our availability. —Sid Halsband

Far, far away, in heathen darkness dwelling,
Millions of souls for ever may be lost;
Who, who will go? salvation’s story telling,
Looking to Jesus, counting not the cost. —James McGranahan

Joshua 18:1-19:51; Isaiah 13:1-22; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-18

For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. 1 Corinthians 1:18

While visiting Rome, I got off course one evening. As I walked, I wasn’t sure of the route and sent up an anxious prayer “Lord please get me home!” I looked up and noticed a cross shining brightly in the distance. I remembered that near my hotel was a building with a large cross. I followed the light from that cross all the way to the hotel. It was an amazing feeling—the cross led me home! —Deborah Manera

In the cross, in the cross, be my glory ever;
Till my raptured soul shall find rest beyond the river. —Fanny J. Crosby

Joshua 16:1-17:18; Isaiah 11:1-12:6; 1 Thessalonians 2:13-3:13

Jeshurun [Israel]…forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation…Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindful, and hast forgotten God that formed thee. Deuteronomy 32:15, 18
They drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. 1 Corinthians 10:4

The Lord Jesus is the Rock of our salvation. How often do we, intentionally or unintentionally, “lightly esteem” Him by not giving Him His rightful place, or have we “forgotten” Him by not listening to Him and obeying His voice? He is our Creator and our Saviour and He is worthy to have first place in our lives. —E. C. B.

On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.
All other ground is sinking sand. —Edward Mote