Author: Gospel Folio Press

DAILY?READINGS: Judges 11:29 to 12:15; Isaiah 32; 1 Cor. 10:14 to 11:1

Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments: And let us arise, and go up to Bethel… – Genesis 35:2-3

Here is the secret of personal revival—turning away from the things that bring us down and returning to the high standard that we once held. Like Jacob and his family it means putting away our idols, purifying our hearts and changing our way of life. Once that is done, we too will be able to arise and go back to Bethel, the place of our spiritual beginning. —Mark Kolchin

God is here! Oh, then, believing, bring to Him our one desire,
That His love may now be kindled, till its flame each heart inspire.
—James Black

DAILY?READINGS: Judges 10:6 to 11:28; Isaiah 31; 1 Cor. 9:24 to 10:13

Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him… Revelation 1:7

…and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. Mark 14:62

It is terrible when one dies under wrongful accusation. Yet that is how the Saviour died! The last Israel saw of Him, He was nailed to a cross. What a shock it will be to them when their Messiah returns bearing the marks of Golgotha! Then He will vindicate His Name and validate His claim. “The Lord shall be king over all the earth” (Zech. 14:9). How we long for that day.
—Drew Craig

Some golden daybreak Jesus will come,
He’ll shout the victory! Break through the blue!
Some golden daybreak for me, for you. —C. A. Blackmore

DAILY?READINGS: Judges 9 to 10:5; Isaiah 30; 1 Corinthians 9:1-23

And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him. Daniel 7:27

The future prospect for God’s people is magnificent! Having been presented “holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight” (Col 1:22), we are then promoted to rule in accordance with our faithfulness shown in this life. Isn’t that worth every measure of consecration we can strive for? Will any good and faithful servant have regrets for temporal ambitions set aside? Do we even need to ask? —Rick Morse

Firstfruits of Thy new creation; faithful, holy, may we be,
Joyful in Thy full salvation, more and more conformed to Thee.
—Charles Wesley

DAILY?READINGS: Judges 8; Isaiah 29; 1 Corinthians 8

And it was revealed unto him [Simeon] by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.
Luke 2:26

What a promise! Every morning Simeon could think, “I will not die today unless I see Christ first.” Beloved believer, our promise is also special and just as sure. When we die, we will see the Lord’s Christ. Paul said, to be absent from the body, is to be present with the Lord (2. Cor 5:8). Do you claim the promise? Does it thrill your heart? It most surely should. —Ken Gross

Face to face with Christ my Saviour, face to face what will it be;
When with rapture I behold Him, Jesus Christ who died for me.
—Carrie E. Breck

DAILY?READINGS: Judges 7; Isaiah 28; 1 Corinthians 7

…you shall know that I, the Lord, have rebuilt the ruined places and planted what was desolate. Ezekiel 36:36 (NKJV)

The city of Portland, Maine, has the motto “Resurgam”. It means “I will rise again” and is testament to the fact that the city, though destroyed by fire on four occasions has each time been rebuilt. Though Jewish and Roman authorities thought they had destroyed the Lord Jesus, He rose again and has been building His church ever since. What a privilege to be workers together with God in this work. What a challenge to serve the living Saviour. —Brian Powlesland

It is not for me to be seeking my bliss,
And building my hopes in a region like this;
I look for a city which hands have not piled;
I pant for a country by sin undefiled. —Henry F. Lyte

DAILY?READINGS: Judges 6; Isaiah 27; 1 Corinthians 6

Seek the Lord, and ye shall live… Amos 5:6

History records that the sect of the Pharisees began during the “silent years”, between Malachi and Matthew. Amos tells us (2:11-12) that God had raised up prophets but Israel commanded the prophets not to prophesy. So, in the absence of a fresh word from God, the Pharisees created rules. And still today, where God’s Word is silenced or ignored or distorted, rules will be substituted for relationship. The result in family life, assembly life and personal walk is rebellion. —M. M.

Open my ears and let me hear,
Voices of truth Thou sendest clear.
And while the wave notes fall on my ear,
Everything false will disappear.
—Clara Scott

DAILY?READINGS: Judges 5; Isaiah 26; 1 Corinthians 5

But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.
Daniel 3:18

Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah served God and the Babylonian civil service simultaneously. Their obedience to Him coupled with diligent work led to high levels of governmental responsibility. Because their first loyalty was to the Lord they refused to bow to the golden image though this meant a death sentence. The Almighty could rescue, but they conceded that it may not be His will to do so. Regardless of their situation, they trusted Him. When pressured to compromise, we must obey God rather than men. —K. R. Keyser

If once His wrath arise, ye perish on the place;
Then blessed is the soul that flies, for refuge to His grace. —Isaac Watts

DAILY?READINGS: Judges 4; Isaiah 25; 1 Corinthians 4

And I will walk at liberty: for I seek thy precepts. Psalm 119:45

I called upon the Lord in distress [a closed place]: the Lord answered me, and set me in a large place [place of liberty]. Psalm 118:5

…where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 2 Corinthians 3:17

The average person feels that true liberty is freedom from any rule or regulation. Carried to its logical conclusion that leads to anarchy. True liberty is the freedom to choose whom we will serve. The person who has been freed from the bondage of sin is free to choose to serve the best of masters. —Wm. H. Gustafson

Give of your best to the Master,
Give Him first place in your heart.
Give Him first place in your service;
Consecrate every part. —Howard Grose

DAILY?READINGS: Judges 3:5-31; Isaiah 24; 1 Corinthians 3

But with many of them God was not well pleased. 1 Corinthians 10:5

Those who live to please themselves cannot please God. This began when Eve thought of herself (Gen. 3:6) instead of God, and the problem continues to this day. This is the ruined world in which we live—full of selfish people trying to please themselves. What a delightful contrast these words provide: “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matt. 3:17). On that solitary path that led from the stable to the carpenter’s shop, the cross, the tomb and back to glory, He did always those things which pleased the Father. May we each take time today to tell the Father how we, too, are well pleased with His beloved Son. —Carl Knott

We sing aloud Thy praises, our hearts and voices blending,
’Tis Thou alone we worthy own, Thy beauty’s all-transcending. —Yerbury

DAILY?READINGS: Judges 2:6 to 3:4; Isaiah 22:15 to 23:18; 1 Cor. 2

…and God said, Ask what I shall give thee. 1 Kings 3:5

We sometimes overlook the early part of Solomon’s prayer to the Lord. Before he asked something for himself he thanked God for His goodness to his father David, and acknowledged that he (Solomon) was but a servant and a little child in his position before the Almighty. If, as believers, we show gratitude and acknowledge our weaknesses, it will become the secret of our Christian life. Sadly for Solomon, this is where he ultimately failed. —Brian Russell

I praise the God of grace,
I trust His truth and might;
He calls me His, I call Him mine;
My God, my joy, my light.
—Horatius Bonar