Author: Gospel Folio Press

 

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

 

DAILY?READINGS: 1 Chronicles 6; Ezekiel 8-9; John 2:1-22

Surely you will be ashamed of the oaks which you have desired, And you will be embarrassed at the gardens which you have chosen.  Isaiah 1:29 (NASB)

This verse offers a sobering warning for us all. Oak trees take considerable time to mature. Gardens take considerable effort to maintain. As we examine our own lives, we can ask, what things do we use our time on? What things do we expend our effort on? Let us live in such a way that when we stand before the Lord, we will not be ashamed of our “oaks” nor embarrassed at our “gardens”—the things in which we have chosen to invest our time and effort.  —L. Shatford

Give of your best to the Master; give Him first place in your heart;
Give Him first place in your service, consecrate every part.
—H. B. Grose

 

DAILY?READINGS: 1 Chronicles 4:24 to 5:26; Ezekiel 7; John 1:19-51

And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree.  Acts 13:29

It was a moving experience in the cathedral in Antwerp to view the painting by Rubens entitled “The Descent from the Cross”. The artist seeks to portray how Christ’s loved ones might have managed to take Him down. It is evident loving hands are engaged in this arduous task. What a contrast to the wicked hands that had nailed Him there. As He suffered, the crowd had tempted Him to come down. He declined to do so, but rather suffered the punishment due to us for our sin.  —Brian Powlesland

Was it the nails, O Saviour, that bound Thee to the tree?
Nay, t’was Thine everlasting love, Thy love for me, for me.
—K. Kelly

 

DAILY?READINGS: 1 Chronicles 3 to 4:23; Ezekiel 5-6; John 1:1-18

Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter.  Revelation 1:19

Qualified, holy men of God were moved by the Spirit to write the Scriptures (2 Pet. 1:21). The goal of the Bible is to establish fellowship between us and with the Father and the Son (1 John 1:3). John the closest disciple to the Lord bears record to the truth of Christ’s flawless life and sin atoning death, so that we might believe in Him (John 19:35). These “eyewitnesses of His majesty” eliminate any “cunningly devised fables” (2 Pet. 1:16). How good to know that our faith does not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God (1 Cor. 2:5). —Milton Haack

The Bible stands like a rock undaunted, ’mid the raging storms of time;
Its pages burn with the truth eternal, and they glow with a light sublime.
I will plant my feet on its firm foundation, for the Bible stands.
—Haldor Lillenas