Author: Gospel Folio Press

DAILY?READINGS: 2 Kings 18; Jeremiah 51:25-64; 1 Timothy 2

 

Thou hast left thy first love.    Revelation 2:4

 

Not all love is good. We have a tendency to love what we shouldn’t. Demas forsook Paul, “having loved this present world” (2 Tim. 4:10). John warns us not to love the world (1 John 2:15). James warns that friendship with the world is enmity with God (Jam. 4:4). God loves righteousness but hates iniquity. The Psalmist said: “Oh how I love thy law” (Psa. 119:97), and “I love the Lord” (Psa. 116:1). How is it with you today? Who and what do you love? The answer reveals the condition of your heart.     —Carl Knott

 

I love Thee because Thou hast first loved me,
And purchased my pardon on Calvary’s tree.
I love Thee for wearing the thorns on Thy brow;
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now. —W. R. Featherston

 

 

DAILY?READINGS: 2 Kings 17; Jeremiah 51:1-24; 1 Timothy 1

 

Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?    Galatians 5:7

 

You will notice that it doesn’t say what but who. So often we are led astray by others. Is your fellowship with the Lord hindered today because you are in a wrong relationship – an unequal yoke? Are you listening to someone whose teachings are not found in the
Scriptures of truth? Have you stumbled because of your friendships in the world? “Let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus” (Heb. 12:1-2).    —Pete Smith

 

Run the straight race through God’s good grace,
Lift up thine eyes, and seek His face;
Life with its way before thee lies;
Christ is the path, and Christ the prize.
—J. S. B. Monsell

 

DAILY?READINGS: 2 Kings 15:32 to 16:20; Jer. 50:21-46; Titus 2:9 to 3:15

 

O give thanks unto the Lord for He is good: for His mercy endureth forever.    Psalm 107:1

 

There is an important truth recorded for us in the history lesson of Psalm 107. Time and again, we see the children of Israel falling into sin, then crying out to the Lord to rescue them. He graciously does, only to have them fall into sin again. What remedy does the psalmist prescribe for this cycle? Thankfulness! “Oh that men would praise the Lord for His goodness and for His wonderful works to the children of men” (v. 8, 15, 21, 31). Thankfulness begets obedience. Let’s learn to be a thankful people!    —L. Shatford

 

Whole-hearted thanksgiving to Thee I will bring
In praise of Thy marvelous deeds I will sing.
—W. H. Doane

DAILY?READINGS: 2 Kings 14:23 to 15:31; Jer. 50:1-20; Titus 1 to 2:8

 

Then said He unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death.    Matthew 26:38

 

Here is the God/Man declaring that His divine soul (not His persona, nor His flesh) is afflicted with sorrow of such magnitude as to bring it to the contemplation of death. Why? Because of His contemplation of our cup of sin, which comes from the very core of our sinful nature. And the horror of drinking that cup brought His holy soul to an agony that was unto death. No other burden could have drawn His soul to that point. No other love could have redeemed our souls.            —Doug Kazen

 

Man of sorrows! What a name, for the Son of God, who came;
Ruined sinners to reclaim! Hallelujah! What a Saviour!
—Philip P. Bliss

DAILY?READINGS: 2 Kings 13 to 14:22; Jeremiah 49; Hebrews 13:7-25

 

And as it is appointed unto men once to die, and after this the judgment. So Christ also after having been once offered to bear the sins of many, shall appear a second time, apart from sin, to them that wait for him, unto salvation.     Hebrews 9:27-28 (RV)

Two things are appointed to humanity; death and judgement. The Lord Jesus experienced both, as attested by the word “also.” However there is a world of difference between the two. Man’s death is because  of his own sin. The Lord’s death was on account of sins other than His own. And while man’s judgment follows death, that of the Lord’s came before death when He bore God’s judgment for human guilt thus securing salvation for those “that wait for him.”    —Drew Craig

 

O what a Saviour that He died for me,
From condemnation He hath made me free. —J. McGranahan

 

DAILY?READINGS: 2 Kings 11-12; Jeremiah 48; Hebrews 12:18 to 13:6

 

And there went up after David about four hundred men; and two hundred abode by the stuff (supplies).    1 Samuel 25: 13
Because they went not with us, we will not give them ought of the spoil … Then said David … But as his part is that goeth down to the battle, so shall his part be that tarrieth by the stuff (supplies) they shall part alike.    1 Samuel 30:22, 23, 24

 

David ordered that those who stayed by the stuff would share equally with those who went out to battle. What a gracious principle. God rewards both the “front line” workers and those in the background. By praying, giving and encouraging, you can stay by the stuff and support those who are actively engaged.    —Robert Gentile

 

Members on our Head depending; lights reflecting Him, our Sun,
Brethren His commands attending, we in Him, our Lord, are one.
—Nikolaus L. vonZinzendorf

DAILY?READINGS: 2 Kings 10; Jeremiah 45-47; Hebrews 12:1-17

 

Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?
Matthew 26:53-54
Where is the promise of his coming?    2 Peter 3:4

 

Scoffers may mock the second coming of the Lord Jesus. But if in His first coming, the Son of God endured all that was laid upon Him in order that the Scriptures might be fulfilled, how much more should we have confidence in the promise of His coming again? It could be today.    —Tom Steere

 

Christ is coming! Let creation from her groans and travail cease;
Let the glorious proclamation hope restore and faith increase. —J. MacDuff

 

DAILY?READINGS: 2 Kings 9; Jeremiah 44; Hebrews 11:17-40

 

When I am weak, then am I strong.    2 Corinthians 12:10

 

When the gifted British preacher, W. E. Sangster (1900–1960), found out he was slowly dying, he made four resolutions: “I will never complain. I will keep the home bright. I will count my blessings. I will try to turn it to gain.” He later wrote: “There have been great gains already from my sickness. I live in the present. I am grateful for little things. I have more time, and I use it for prayer.” At the end of his life he could only move two fingers. When faced with such adversity, what would our reaction be?    —W. Ross Rainey

 

My Father’s way may twist and turn,
My heart may throb and ache,
But in my soul I’m glad I know,
He makes no mistake. —A. M. Overton

DAILY?READINGS: 2 Kings 8; Jeremiah 42:7 to 43:13; Hebrews 11:1-16

 

But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Acts 1:8

 

In our verse the Holy Spirit was to come upon the disciples for evangelistic service. There seems to be a sad lack of this among us today. Peter, with the Spirit upon him preached one sermon and two thousand were saved. There are many sermons preached today and nobody gets saved. The poverty of the hour is a lack of Spirit filled preaching. “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit” (Eph. 5:18).    —Harold G. Smith

Joys are flowing like a river, since the Comforter has come;
He abides with us forever, makes the trusting heart His home.
—Manie Payne Ferguson

DAILY?READINGS: 2 Kings 6:24 to 7:20; Jer. 41 to 42:6; Heb. 10:19-39

 

They cried to God in the battle, and he was intreated of them; because they put their trust in him.    1 Chronicles 5:20

 

Other translations render the above text, “He heeded their prayer.” Remember God spoke to Moses saying, “I have surely seen their affliction … heard their cry … for I know their sorrows” (Ex. 3:7). No matter what battle you are facing in life, claim the promise of Jeremiah 33:3, “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not.” Little wonder the apostle Paul urges us to pray without ceasing (1 Thess. 5:17).    —William Gustafson

 

Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble any where?
We should never be discouraged,
Take it to the Lord in prayer. —J. Scriven