Author: Gospel Folio Press

DAILY?READINGS: Joshua 11-12; Isaiah 8:5 to 9:7; Luke 24:13-35

 

And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? whist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?    Luke 2:49

 

His business should be our business. Sadly sometimes we are too busy being busy. Are you overwhelmed with the pressures and rigours of life? Take care of the Father’s business and the Father will see that you are taken care of. “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matt. 6:33).        —Robert Gentile

 

Teach me Thy Way, O Lord; Teach me Thy Way!
Thy gracious aid afford; Teach me Thy Way!
Help me to walk aright, more by faith less by sight,
Lead me with heav ‘nly light; Teach me Thy Way.
—B. M. Ramsey

DAILY?READINGS: Joshua 10; Isaiah 7 to 8:4; Luke 23:47 to 24:12

 

I will love thee, O LORD, my strength.    Psalm 18:1

 

The Lord is the strength of our salvation (Ps. 140:7)—the One who is able to exert great power on our behalf day by day. We are strengthened by His Word (Ps. 119:28). Our inner beings are strengthened by power with His Spirit (Eph. 3:16) and by His grace (2 Tim. 2:1). This brings blessing (Ps. 84:5) and “It is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace” (Heb. 13:9). Our task is to recognize our own weakness that He might be the strength of our heart.    —L. DeVries

 

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly trust in Jesus’ Name. —E. Mote

 

 

DAILY?READINGS: Joshua 9; Isaiah 6; Luke 23:13-46

 

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble … be still and know that I am God … I will be exalted in the earth.
Psalm 46:1, 10

 

Be still and know that God is your refuge, your strength, your very help in times of trouble. Stop and remember what He has done for you. Lift up your God and give Him praise and honour. He is a holy God who has provided a way for us to meet His standard of perfection through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. There is no other way but through the Lord Jesus Christ to come to God the Father. Be still and know He is God and He has saved you from His wrath. He loves you with an everlasting love.    —V. Gaynier

To God be the glory, great things He has done,
So loved He the world that He gave us His Son. —Fanny J. Crosby

DAILY?READINGS: Joshua 8; Isaiah 5; Luke 22:54 to 23:12

 

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, …  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.    Romans 12:1-2

God’s perfect will is known to those believers who present their bodies as living sacrifices to Him. They refuse to let the world squeeze them into its mould and they renew their mind through the sanctifying power of the Word of God.    —Sid Halsband

 

Who can tell all the love, He will send from above,
And how happy our hearts will be made,
Of the fellowship sweet, we shall share at His feet,
When our all on the altar is laid. —E. A Hoffman

DAILY?READINGS: Joshua 7; Isaiah 3-4; Luke 22:31-53

 

And when he is come, (the Holy Spirit), he will reprove the world of sin … of righteousness … and of judgement.    John 16:8

 

Here is the three-fold work of the Spirit to the lost. He convicts them of sin. Without the convicting power of the Holy Spirit, people dead in their trespasses would never know their need for a Saviour. He convicts them of righteousness. The Holy Spirit’s work shatters the pretentions of self righteousness and exposes the futility of working to earn eternal merit with God. He convicts them of judgement. The day of grace continues to provide an open door but judgment is coming. In God’s eyes, Satan is already judged. Oh listen to the faithful message of the Holy Spirit today and be saved.    —Drew Craig

 

Open my eyes that I may see, glimpses of truth Thou hast for me;
Ready my God thy will to see, Spirit divine! —C. H. Scott

DAILY?READINGS: Joshua 5:13 to 6:27; Isaiah 2; Luke 22:1-30

 

And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord.    Acts 9:10

 

It is not an easy discipline to provide support in the background for others whom God has called to a more visible role. Although secondary to others, Ananias, whose name means “God is gracious,” was not second rate. There is a vast difference. In God’s sight the Christian who goes on faithfully for Him, even though playing a secondary role, is always first rate and will some day receive the Lord’s “Well done!”    —W. Ross Rainey

It takes more grace than I can tell,
To play the second fiddle well. —Charles H. Spurgeon

DAILY?READINGS: Joshua 4 to 5:12; Isaiah 1; Luke 21:5-38

 

Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother.    John 19:25

 

One can only imagine the feelings of Mary as she courageously stood vigil at the cross. Her beloved Son was being treated so cruelly. Yet there is such eloquence in her silence as she quietly listens to the taunts, the abuse and the jeers being hurled at her precious Son. Not a word does she speak in His defense. And in that moment, she understood the words of old Simeon, “A sword will pierce through thy own soul also” (Luke 2:35). She realized more than ever that He loved her, for He was dying for her sins too! Mary was, in spite of her tears, “rejoicing in God her Saviour” (Luke 1:47). May we too rejoice in His presence today as we worship Him.    —Jim Comte

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!
—Oscar Clute

DAILY?READINGS: Joshua 3; Hosea 11:12 to 14:9; Luke 20:20 to 21:4

 

In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.    Isaiah 6:1

 

Uzziah was a good king even though he faltered in his last days. It appears from this verse that Isaiah may have had his eyes too much on Uzziah instead of the Lord. It seems that only after Uzziah died that his eyes saw the right King, “For mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts” (Isa. 6:5). Could we not make this mistake? We should be careful that our eyes are on the right king when we follow leaders in our lives. Paul said, “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ” (1 Cor. 11:1). To all who are leading God’s people, let’s be sure we are following the King, the Lord of Hosts.      —Harold G. Smith

 

Everywhere He leads me I would follow, follow on,
Walking in His footsteps till the crown be won. —W. Cushing

DAILY?READINGS: Joshua 2; Hosea 10 to 11:11; Luke 20:1-19

 

Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head.    Ezekiel 33:4

 

The bad news for people today is that a sword is coming; the good news is that the warning trumpet is still sounding. It is our task to pour our energies into sounding that trumpet as clearly and faithfully as we can. Perhaps by God’s enabling grace, today I would be motivated and enabled to sound out the Gospel to someone—before it’s too late.    —Rick Morse

 

Thy blood the flaming blade must slake;
Thine heart its sheath must be;
All for my sake, my peace to make;
Now sleeps that sword for me. —A. R. Cousin

DAILY?READINGS: Joshua 1; Hosea 8-9; Luke 19:29-48

 

And the LORD, He it is that doth go before thee; He will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.     Deuteronomy 31:8

 

Are you afraid and unsure of how you can face the future? A new college; loss of a loved one; retirement? Hold on to these two promises given to Joshua as he was about to enter the “land of giants” yet “a land flowing with milk and honey” (Ex. 13:5). First, the Lord goes before you, preparing the way to enable you to face the “giants” you so much fear. Secondly, not only that, but He will be with you to hold your hand and lead you step by step, so that you will find this new phase of your life to be “a land flowing with milk and honey” (Ex. 13:5).    —David Croudace

 

Though it seems I’m oft unnoticed, and lost in time and space,
God above is watching o’er me, though I cannot see His face. —J. Peterson