Author: Gospel Folio Press

 

DAILY?READINGS: Gen. 39; Psalm 17; Matt. 22:15-46

 

The Lord…is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.  2 Peter 3:9

Our Lord’s patience was at its best when provocation was at its worst. He was tested beyond measure, yet Isaiah foretold that He would not open His mouth, but remain dumb before his shearers. Betrayed with a kiss. Struck in the face by a servant. Reviled by the High Priests. Humiliated and tortured by Roman soldiers. He bore it all. In excruciating pain as they hammered Him to the cross, He lifted His heart in a prayer of love “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). We do well to echo Thomas’ words: “My Lord and My God” (John 20:28). —Drew Craig

O patient and spotless One! Our hearts in meekness train,
To bear Thy yoke and learn of Thee, that we may rest obtain.
—C. Bernstein

 

DAILY?READINGS: Gen. 38; Psalms 15-16; Matt. 21:33 to 22:14

 

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.  Isaiah 55:8

As a student I loved mathematics but the concept of infinity puzzled me—without limits, incalculable, greater than any known number. Today our minds stagger attempting to understand our infinite God. We marvel that He spoke His universe into existence. Considering His eternity and omnipresence our minds reel. We wonder at His infinite grace, mercy and love. We’re awed by His holiness, power and wisdom. Each year we know Him more but still know so little. Christ, the power and wisdom of God. He shall spend eternity with us. —George Ferrier

Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art! How great Thou art!
—Stuart K. Hine

 

DAILY?READINGS: Gen. 37; Psalms 11-14; Matt. 21:1-32

 

The runners passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh, as far as Zebulun; but they laughed at them and mocked them. Nevertheless some from Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem.  2 Chronicles 30:10

The Jews experienced a great revival under Hezekiah. They confessed their sins, consecrated themselves to God and began to worship Him again. So joyful was the revival that some within the pagan northern tribes wanted to experience God’s glory, power and blessing too. May God revive our hearts. May the masses see Christ magnified within us and be drawn to Him too! —W. A. H.

Let it come, O Lord, we pray Thee, let the shower of blessing fall;
We are waiting, we are waiting, oh, revive the hearts of all.
—J. Black

 

DAILY?READINGS: Gen. 36; Psalms 9-10; Matt. 20:17-34

 

And He said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest awhile: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.  Mark 6:31

The word “leisure” means resting, or in today’s society, taking a break, from the “coming and going”. Besides physical rest we desperately need spiritual rest. Jesus said, “Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28). On our salvation’s day we rested on His finished work. Now we should daily recharge our power, alone with Him. We rest and recuperate when we gather around His Word, or with Him in the midst, in worship. May we make time today for this essential pursuit. —Vernon Markle

Jesus, I am resting, resting in the joy of what Thou art; 
I am finding out the greatness of Thy loving heart.
—Jean S. Pigott

 

DAILY?READINGS: Gen. 35; Psalms 7-8; Matt. 19:16 to 20:16

 

Pray without ceasing.  1 Thessalonians 5:17

What is my prayer life like? Worldwide our fellow citizens of heaven labour on, with prayer their energy. Do we join with them? The Lord’s people are strengthened by trusting, prayerful dependence on Him. Dependent, daily prayer is the secret of a testimony’s power. “Let me show you the boiler room“, C.H. Spurgeon would often say, as he brought people into the prayer room. Are we calling daily on that abundant power? —Mark Fenn

As o’er each continent and island,
The dawn leads on another day,
The voice of prayer is never silent,
Nor dies the strain of praise away.
—John Ellerton

 

DAILY?READINGS: Gen. 33:18 to 34:31; Psalms 4-6; Matt. 19:1-15

 

God waited in the days of Noah…eight souls were saved by water.  1 Peter 3:20

God waited for others to repent at the preaching of Noah. But when the day of judgment came, only eight souls were saved. But eight is the number of a new beginning, and so, from those eight souls, all the people on earth today are descended. God is longsuffering still, not willing that any should perish, but that all should enter into eternal life through Jesus Christ. As in the days of Noah, so now, few repent and believe the Gospel message. Nevertheless, God is creating a people for His name to inhabit a new place. The world of the ungodly will be cast away forever. Are you going to be counted with the likes of faithful Noah or with the old world? —Tom Steere

Death to the world we here avow, death to each fleshly lust;
Newness of life our calling now, a risen Lord our trust.
—M. B. Peters

 

DAILY?READINGS: Gen. 32 to 33:17; Psalms 1-3; Matt. 18:15-35

 

And such were some of you.  1 Corinthians 6:11

Some of these Corinthian Christians had been fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, effeminate, abusers of themselves with mankind, thieves, covetous, drunkards, revilers, extortioners. Yet God had washed away their sins and, though red as crimson, they became white as snow. He justified them as if they had never sinned and sanctified them making them holy saints in His sight. What a salvation! Such a person was also John Newton, a slave to sin and a slave trader himself. Later he was miraculously saved and became a slave for Christ preaching the good news of the Gospel. The words of his famous hymn resonate with our hearts too. —K. C. Ung

Amazing grace! How sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found; was blind, but now I see.
—J. Newton

 

DAILY?READINGS: Gen. 31; Job 42; Matt. 17:14 to 18:14

 

The voice of my beloved! Behold, he cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills. Song of Solomon 2:8

Here we have a view of the intense longing of the bridegroom to meet his bride. He comes with a shout, and with haste, to meet her. It is true that we as the Bride of Christ have intense longings to see Him, but we often forget the intense longing of our Beloved to meet His Bride. The longing is not all ours, but also His. Our Beloved died to procure His Bride and He longs for that day when He will claim her to share His Love and His throne for all of eternity. We are, as the apostle describes it, “the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints” (Eph. 1:18). —W. H. Burnett

O the blessed joy of meeting, all the desert past,
Oh the wondrous words of greeting, He shall speak at last.
—P. Gerhardt

 

DAILY?READINGS: Gen. 30; Job 40-41; Matt. 16:13 to 17:13

 

For thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back. Isaiah 38:17

This short statement by Isaiah offers us so much for which to be thankful. Notice first—God has dealt with all my sins. I’m so grateful for that and also for the fact that He cast them behind His back and not mine. If it were mine, my sins could still be in His view. Having cast my sins out of His sight and memory, I can now rejoice in God’s acceptance of me. Such is His unconditional love toward us “accepted in the Beloved.” —Sam Thorpe

In the Beloved, God’s marvelous grace,
Calls me to dwell in this wonderful place; 
God sees my Saviour and then He sees me,
In the Beloved, accepted and free.
—Mrs. C. D. Martin