Author: Gospel Folio Press

DAILY?READINGS: Numbers 7; Proverbs 4; Mark 15:1-23

 

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith. Hebrews 12:2

 

It was a striking picture—a field full of sunflowers with their golden faces turned toward the sun. Sunflowers are sunstalkers, facing toward its light as it moves from horizon to horizon. We too, need to follow the sun—the Son of righteousness. We need the warmth of His love, truth and holiness. In the maturing process we learn to apply scriptural knowledge and manifest the virtues of our blessed Lord. May it be true of us that we follow Him, faithfully growing in Christ, and attracting others to the Source of light and life. —E. M. Dyck

 

Fill all my vision, let naught of sin, shadow the brightness shining within,
Let me see only Thy blessed face, feasting my soul on Thine infinite grace.—Avis Christiansen

 

 

DAILY?READINGS: Numbers 6; Proverbs 3; Mark 14:53-72

 

Put on the whole armour of God. Ephesians 6:11

 

Some feel when they accept Christ as Lord and Saviour that the battle is over. They are forgiven, on their way to heaven and Satan is a defeated foe. The truth is that Satan is alive and well, more determined than ever to attack you. The battle will rage on until the Christian leaves this life. Hence the exhortation—put on your armour daily and be prepared to fight. Be strong; be vigilant; be confident in the Lord’s strength. Live a life of faith and victory today. —Donald L. Norbie

And though this world with devils filled,
Should threaten to undo us;
We will not fear for God hath willed,
His truth to triumph through us. —Martin Luther

 

DAILY?READINGS: Numbers 5; Proverbs 2; Mark 14:27-52

 

I will praise Thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Psalm 139:14a

 

We are indeed fearfully and wonderfully made—with billions of cells, and life sustaining organs cooperating together to sustain life. At the centre of it all is the organ called the heart. Perfectly placed in the midst of the human body, approximately the size of your fist, the heart weighs about a pound, beats about 70 times per minute (100,000 times per day), and pumps 2,000 gallons of blood throughout the body every 24 hours. In 70 years the heart beats 2,555,000,000 times, pumping up to 51,100,000 gallons of blood. Nothing ever developed by man can compare with the human heart. How great is our God! —Rex Trogdon

Then sings my soul, my Saviour God to Thee;
How great Thou art, How great Thou art! —Carl Boberg

 

DAILY?READINGS: Numbers 4; Proverbs 1; Mark 14:1-26

 

Ye have not passed this way heretofore. Joshua 3:4

 

After forty years of wilderness experience the time had come for the Israelites to move on and to move in. This would be a new experience; they had not done this before. The people were perhaps filled with anxiety and fear; what would it be like? Would it work out? They were given precise instructions regarding their personal sanctification and readiness to go forward, and concerning how in safety they should follow the ark of the covenant. Today or tomorrow may be a new experience for you, so it is important to know that as you go forward you do so in absolute safety; so long as you follow His steps. —Roy Hill

 

Tis so safe to walk with Jesus, leaning hard upon His arm,
Following closely where He leads us, none can hurt and naught can harm.—A. B. Simpson

 

 

DAILY?READINGS: Numbers 3; Psalms 148-150; Mark 13

 

When He had thus spoken, He spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle. John 9:6

 

It was a common experience for the poor, blind beggar to be covered with the spittle of men, as in those days illness and suffering were regarded as self inflicted. This time the spittle did not descend in the usually derisory way, but was used by the Saviour to bring life and light. When others wrongfully criticise and condemn, the Saviour understands, and can reverse your pain, and bring relief and joy.—Brian Russell

O it was kind of Him, blest be His name,
Unto death binding Him, love-drawn He came.—Author Unknown

 

 

DAILY?READINGS: Numbers 2; Psalms 146-147; Mark 12:18-44

He took a child, and set him in the midst. Mark 9:36

He… took a towel, and girded Himself. John 13:4

He took bread, and… break it. Luke 22:19

 

Humility marked our Lord Jesus. He took a child to illustrate the humble attitude necessary to be His disciple. He took a towel and washed His disciples’ feet, to teach them humility in service. He took bread and broke it to symbolize His humility in salvation. He humbled Himself when He condescended from heaven’s glories to a manger in Bethlehem. But His ultimate humility, was in dying on a cross at Calvary for His enemies. —Milton Haack

He made nothing of himself, took on a servant’s form;
Found in likeness as a man, on the cross He died forlorn.—S. Peterson

DAILY?READINGS: Numbers 1; Psalms 144-145; Mark 11:27 to 12:17

 

And these words… shall be in thine heart… thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest… when thou walkest… when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. Deuteronomy 6:6-7

 

The Word of God was not only to be taught to their children, but the Israelites were to give it the most prominent place in every aspect of family life. The reason is given in vs. 12, “that they might not forget the Lord” when they faced so many new and even “good” things in the Promised Land. Are we preparing our children to face the “things” of this world by making God’s Word prominent in their lives?—David Croudace

O give us homes where Christ is Lord and Master,
Where prayer comes first, in peace or in disaster. —Barbara B. Hart

 

DAILY?READINGS: Leviticus 27; Psalms 142-143; Mark 11:1-26

 

He hath done all things well. Mark 7:37

 

The saint of God toiling here for this “little while” will ultimately be victorious. This is wholly because the Lord Jesus “hath done all things well.” Through trial and tribulation, we may be assured that our success is through God “which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 15.57). —Mark Fenn

Precious is the blood that healed us,
Perfect is the grace that sealed us,
Strong the hand stretched forth to shield us,
All must be well. —Mary Peters

 

DAILY?READINGS: Leviticus 26; Psalm 140-141; Mark 10:32-52

 

Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth. Psalm 98:4

 

Two young starlings landed near our feeder. Their loud, incessant cries of hunger alerted the neighbourhood to their distress. When their needs had been met, the songs of the other, full-grown birds could again be heard—contented chirps and the full repertoire of the cardinal. A small inner voice seemed to ask, “What will your voice sound like to Me today—demands, never satisfied, always wanting more, or songs of gratitude and praise, of joy to the Giver of sunshine, food, flowers, winds and rain. —M. MacMullen

Stand up and bless the Lord, the Lord your God adore;
Stand up and bless His glorious name, henceforth forevermore.—James Montgomery

 

DAILY?READINGS: Leviticus 25; Psalm 139; Mark 10:1-31

 

Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. Titus 2:13

 

Our verse tells us not only of a hope, but of a blessed, happy hope. “For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for” (Rom. 8:24). It is with anticipation and expectation that we look for His glorious appearing. Older saints among us would often say, “We are not looking for the undertaker, we are looking for the uppertaker.” He has not come yesterday, but He could come today. Maranatha! —Robert Gentile

Jesus is coming! O sing the glad Word!
Coming for those He redeemed by His blood. —Daniel W. Whittle