Author: Gospel Folio Press

 

DAILY?READINGS: Genesis 4-5; Job 6-7; Matthew 4

The works of the Lord are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein.    Psalm 111:2

The Cavendish Laboratory is a world famous research centre of experimental physics based at the University of Cambridge. Above its main entrance are inscribed the words of today’s verse. What a fitting tribute, that where the best of human intellect seeks to understand the secrets of physical phenomena, due recognition is given to the power and wisdom of the Creator.    ­—Brian Powlesland

O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the works thy hands hath made;
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.
—Stuart K. Hine

 

DAILY?READINGS: Genesis 3; Job 4-5; Matthew 3

And exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.    Jude 3

Jude was deeply concerned about the problems facing the believers of his day. His warnings to them are given with force and authority. At the root of their problems was a drift from truth that had become an open denial of God’s Word. Foundational truth was paramount to Jude and it ought to be to you and me. Someone has well said, “I looked for the church and I found it in the world and I looked for the world and I found it in the church.” The only cure for such a situation is renewed obedience to the Scriptures. May God preserve us in this day of departure!     —James Comte

Revive Thy work, O Lord! Disturb the sleep of death:
Quicken the smouldering embers, Lord, by Thine almighty breath.
—Albert Midlane

 

DAILY?READINGS: Gen. 2:4-25; Job 2:11 to 3:26; Matt. 2

Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.     1 Corinthians 9:24

With each new year comes the desire for a fresh start. Past goals are evaluated and new goals are set. Here are two biblical standards to guide our priorities in this new year before us. First of all, our goals must be honouring to God’s name (Col. 3:17). Secondly, our goals must be set before the Lord in prayer to see whether they are His will for us (Phil. 4:6). If these criteria cannot be met, the goal is not worth our effort.    —Sam Thorpe

Marching on, marching on,
For Christ count everything but loss!
And to crown Him King, we’ll toil and sing,
Beneath the banner of the cross!
—D. W. Whittle

 

DAILY?READINGS: Gen. 1:1 to 2:3; Job 1:1 to 2:10; Matt. 1

And she (Ruth) went, and came, and gleaned in the field after the reapers.    Ruth 2:3

In Ruth’s day, gleaning was to gather the grain left by the reapers (Lev. 19:9-10). In its figurative sense gleaning means to gather knowledge and wisdom bit by bit. As a young believer, my Christian friends and I greeted each other by asking, “Where are you gleaning today?” We wanted to encourage each other to be in the Word. Daily reading of God’s Word often brings “choice gleanings”, golden surprises from God’s heart to ours. As we start a new year, glean from the Word of God daily.    —Robert Gentile

The Word of God, a river of pleasure;
The Word of God, ‘tis food for the mind;
The Word of God, its light faileth never,
The Word of God, what treasure we find.
—Arthur E. Smith

DAILY?READINGS: Esther 9-10; Malachi 3:7 to 4:6; Rev. 22:6-21

 

Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh … and sat down.     Exodus 2:15
But Moses stood up to help them.     Exodus 2:17

 

Sometimes life overwhelms. Oh to sit and never get up. Perhaps that is your mind today. Well sit awhile then. It is not a shame to need respite—sometimes it is a necessity. But the true measure of a man or woman of God is their readiness to stand again. Life had been harsh to Moses. How good it must have been to finally sit. But before long a need arose. Perhaps Moses longed to stay at rest and wait for another to step forward. But he stood. Needs still abound—prayer to be made; justice to be done; souls to win; sheep to shepherd. Eternal rest will come. But it has not come yet. Stand up.    —S. McEachern

 

Now let my soul arise, and tread the tempter down;
My Captain leads me forth, to conquest and a crown.
—Isaac Watts

 

DAILY?READINGS: Esther 7-8; Malachi 2:10 to 3:6; Rev. 21:9 to 22:5

 

He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?    Micah 6:8

 

Increased revelation from God brings added responsibility to man. Micah’s words illustrate the point. The Lord, having “shown what is good,” declares His requirements. He looks for a three-fold response, in which personal integrity, “do justly;” social justice, “love mercy;” and, fellowship with  Himself, “walk humbly with thy God,” are key features. The question today is: Does every part of my life show a genuine response to God’s revelation of Himself in His Son?    —George Hall

Thou my everlasting portion, more than friend, or life, to me;
All along my pilgrim journey, Saviour, I would walk with Thee.
—Fanny J. Crosby

DAILY?READINGS: Esther 5-6; Malachi 1 to 2:9; Rev. 20:7 to 21:8

 

Upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread.    Acts 20:7

 

Paul waited in Troas for this event on the first day of the week and then he left on Monday. To “break bread” every day would be a burden, once a year is almost never, once a month is hardly worthy of Him, but once a week perfectly suits the time we have to prepare to gather around His table. How is it, then? When we come together, does everyone have a psalm, a doctrine, a word to offer up in thanksgiving to God for His unspeakable gift?    —Tom Steere

 

We come, our gracious Father, with many hearts as one,
And here we only gather, in mem’ry of Thy Son.
We prize each happy token of peace with Thee, our God!
The bread—His body given; the wine—His precious blood.
—Author Unknown

DAILY?READINGS: Esther 3-4; Zech. 13:7 to 14:21; Rev. 19:11 to 20:6

 

And now, because ye have done all these works, saith the LORD, and I spake unto you, rising up early and speaking, but ye heard not; and I called you, but ye answered not.    Jeremiah 7:13

 

The Hebrew verb translated “rising up early” figuratively showed God’s eager desire for Israel’s repentance. He beseeched them earnestly and urgently, early and often. Friend, today God is tenderly pleading with you to repent and put your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. He earnestly implores you because He loves you. He urgently appeals to you because the alternative is a lost eternity. He pleads with you early and often because time is short. Will you trust Him today?   
—George Ferrier

Come and He will give you rest; trust Him, for His word is plain;
He will take the sinfulest; Christ receiveth sinful men. —E. Neumeister

DAILY?READINGS: Esther 2; Zechariah 12 to 13:6; Revelation 19:1-10

 

David therefore besought God for the child,… And it came to pass that on the seventh day, that the child died.    2 Samuel 12:16-18

 

As young parents we grieved when our newborn baby lived only a few hours. A friend offered comfort by referring us to King David’s example. When David and Bathsheba’s baby became ill, he fasted and wept. But when the child died he changed from mourning to worshipping saying, “Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he cannot return to me” (2 Sam. 12:23). If David was confident that his child was in heaven, we could be assured as well. Our spirits calmed and were glad that our baby girl had been spared earth’s trials and instead was eternally blessed.    —E. Dyck

 

Safe in the arms of Jesus, safe on His gentle breast,
There by His love o’er shadowed, sweetly my soul shall rest.
—Fanny J. Crosby

 

DAILY?READINGS: Esther 1; Zechariah 11; Revelation 18

 

How shall I know this?    Luke 1:18 (NKJV)
How can this be?    Luke 1:34 (NKJV)

 

At first these questions seem to be quite alike, but they are not. The angel, Gabriel, brought the message of the birth of John the Baptist to Zecharias and of the birth of the Lord Jesus to Mary. Their responses teach us an important lesson. Zecharias questioned the credibility of the messenger saying, “How shall I know this?” and was dumbstruck. Mary, on the other hand, responded in faith and was awestruck by the wonder of it all. How does the celebration of our Saviour’s birth strike you? Be careful how you answer.    —Rex Trogdon

 

Angels we have heard on high, sweetly singing o’er the plains,
And the mountains in reply, echo back their joyous strains.
Gloria in excelsis Deo! Gloria in excelsis Deo!
—Author Unknown