Author: Gospel Folio Press

 

DAILY?READINGS: 1 Chronicles 21; Ezekiel 20:1-44; John 7:12-30

For this Melchizedek…who met Abraham…and blessed him:…the less is blessed of the better.  Hebrews 7:1, 7
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings.  Ephesians 1:3

We see here that the lesser (Abraham) is blessed by the greater (Melchizedek). It is a beautiful picture of our experience. God blesses us by giving us all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. But Abraham gave back to Melchizedek and so should we, by being generous with the gifts God has given—using them for Him. The greatest blessing we can give is to lift up His Son to Him and say we find Him altogether lovely. We are blessed; so may we bless. —Robert Gentile

Blessed be God, our God who gave for us His well beloved Son;
The gift of gifts, all other gifts in one. —Horatius Bonar

 

DAILY?READINGS: 1 Chronicles 19-20; Ezekiel 18-19; John 6:41 to 7:11

The fool has said in his heart, There is no God.  Psalm 53:1 (NKJV)

To be a fool is to be without common sense, without wisdom. The wise man will contemplate creation and marvel. He sees the way planet earth orbits the sun at just the right distance to sustain life. He delights in the great seas and lakes without which no life would survive. He is amazed at the countless species of plant and animal life. He studies his own body and marvelous brain and stands in awe. All of this proclaims a Creator, infinitely wise and powerful. Only a fool will say that there is no God. Do not be a fool. Come to know God through the Lord Jesus Christ. —Donald L. Norbie

I sing the mighty power of God that made the mountains rise,
That spread the flowing seas abroad and built the lofty skies,
I sing the wisdom that ordained the sun to rule the day,
The moon shines forth at His command and all the stars obey. —I. Watts

 

DAILY?READINGS: 1 Chronicles 17-18; Ezekiel 17; John 6:22-40

And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord, she came to prove him with hard questions.  1 Kings 10:1

The queen of Sheba came to view Solomon’s kingdom. She saw firsthand the glory of his person and his work; how he conducted his affairs and how well he treated his subjects. There was nothing he would not do for them and nothing that they would not do for him. Nothing missed her watchful gaze as she exclaimed with enthusiasm that the half had not been told her. Israel’s citizens were the happiest of any nation on earth. Still today, people are judging God’s kingdom by our behaviour. May we show them how much greater than Solomon our Saviour is. —Mark Kolchin

I love the Christ who all my burdens in His body bore,
Each day He grows still sweeter than He was the day before. —W. Martin

 

DAILY?READINGS: 1 Chronicles 16; Ezekiel 16:35-63; John 6:1-21

Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses.  Psalms 107:6

This psalm presents a cyclical theme that many of us have experienced first hand: man’s failure, sin’s consequences, a cry for deliverance and God in His grace providing salvation time and time again. For each one of His people’s distresses, God provides the corresponding relief. What an encouragement for us! Whatever our burden may be, whether due to our own failure or one of life’s heavy blows, we too can cry out to God in our need and rest assured that “He will deliver us”.  —E. V.

He is able to deliver thee, He is able to deliver thee;
Though by sin oppressed, go to Him for rest,
Our God is able to deliver thee.
—William A. Ogden

 

DAILY?READINGS: 1 Chronicles 15; Ezekiel 16:1-34; John 5:24-47

This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.   Luke 22:20

As we consider the value of the blood that the Lord Jesus freely shed at the cross for our redemption, we are drawn to heartfelt worship. No one can put a price on what the Lord Jesus willingly paid at Golgotha. We are both  humbled and at peace as we meditate, not upon ourselves, but upon our blessed Redeemer.  —Mark Fenn

The storm that bowed Thy blessed head,
Is hushed for ever now,
And rest divine is ours instead,
Whilst glory crowns Thy brow.
—H. L. Rossier

 

DAILY?READINGS: 1 Chronicles 13-14; Ezekiel 14-15; John 5:1-23

For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that ye should follow his steps. 1 Peter 2:21
Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.  1 Peter 4:19

Suffering is part of life, but for the believer it can be an opportunity to deliver an incredible message. When the child of God learns that his suffering is a calling, it changes the whole dynamic of the experience. The knowledge that we can “suffer according to the will of God” gives peace in the storm.    —Sid Halsband

The heirs of salvation, I know from His Word,
Through much tribulation must follow their Lord.
—J. Newton

 

DAILY?READINGS: 1 Chronicles 12; Ezekiel 13; John 4:31-54

And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.  1 Corinthians 13:13 (NKJV)

As Christians, faith, hope, and love are central to our continuing walk with Christ. But what is it that separates love out of this group? Is it not that love was the great motivator that secured our salvation? The love of God was the difference between being under the law and being under everlasting grace. Before Jesus’ sacrifice of love on the cross, it would be impossible for us to be in God’s presence, but now we can “come boldly to the throne of grace,” (Heb. 4:16). —C. J. Beach

O love of God most full,
O love of God most free,
Come, warm my heart, come fill my soul,
Come, lead me unto Thee! —O. Clute

 

DAILY?READINGS: 1 Chronicles 10-11; Ezekiel 12; John 4:1-30

There we saw the giants…and we were like grasshoppers.  Numbers 13:33

The promised land which God had prepared for His people stretched out before them. All they had to do was possess what God had promised to them. But between them and God’s blessing were giants of great size and strength. These giants robbed God’s people of what was rightly theirs. In like manner today, God has promised His children all spiritual blessings, but too often giants like fear and discouragement and guilt rob us of God’s best. With God’s help all of our Goliaths can be defeated.  —Charlie Tempest

O victory in Jesus, my Saviour forever,
He sought me and bought me,
With His redeeming blood. —E. Bartlett

 

DAILY?READINGS: 1 Chronicles 8-9; Ezekiel 11; John 3:22-36

Is it well with thee? Is it well with thy husband? Is it well with the child.  And she answered, It is well.  2 Kings 4:26

It has often puzzled me why the Shunamite woman answered that it was well with her child—when he had died. A careful examination of the dear lady’s faith reveals that she believed that Elijah’s God would somehow solve the problem. Sometimes the Lord heals by taking away a loved one. May we have the grace and faith to understand, whatever the divine response. “He doeth all things well.”  —Brian Russell

When darkness seems to veil His face,
I rest on His unchanging grace,
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.
—E Mote