Author: Gospel Folio Press

DAILY READINGS: 2 Chronicles 35; Daniel 2:24-49; 1 John 5

Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou Me? John 21:16

Tradition has painted, by brush and pen, portraits of the man
called Peter. He is memorialized by magnificent cathedrals. But we
must look elsewhere for a memorial engraved where time cannot
erase it. These words move the heart of every sinner saved by grace
who has felt the pulse of Peter’s passion, known some sad failure,
and the pardoning grace of the Saviour. The words touch the wellsprings
of our tears and we fain would make them ours: “Lord Thou
knowest all things; Thou knowest I love Thee.” —J. Boyd Nicholson

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:
’Tis Thou who art worthy, Lord Jesus, ’tis Thou. —W. R. Featherstone

DAILY READINGS: 2 Chronicles 34; Daniel 2:1-23; 1 John 4

For I have given you an example, that ye also should do as I have
done to you. John 13:15

Two top chess kids faced off in my classroom. Other students
crowded to watch. I had taught one of the students, and it brought
joy to my heart to see her faithfully following her training. What I
saw were my tactics and principles in action. She was playing like
me. It brings joy to God's heart when He sees us obeying our training,
using His tactics and strategies, and copying His actions in our
daily battle. Then others will witness His glory in our life. —D. Lee

And is it so, I shall be like Thy Son?
Is this the grace which He for me has won?
Father of glory—thought beyond all thought!
In glory, to His own blest likeness brought! —J. N. Darby

DAILY READINGS: 2 Chronicles 33; Daniel 1; 1 John 3

Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in Mine hand,
O house of Israel. Jeremiah 18:6

When the potter gets to work upon his wheel, he expects the clay
to be completely pliable under the pressure of his hand. Speaking
with a potter one day, he told me that the hand that does the shaping
is the hand inside the vessel, and that the shaping takes place from
the inside outwards. Surely this is the Lord’s desire for us, that we
should be fashioned according to his desires, and that we should recognize
that the work must begin on the inside, rather than with the
outward appearance. We must allow the Spirit to do his work within
to produce the fruit of the Spirit in our lives. —W. H. Burnett

Have thine own way Lord! Have thine own way!
Thou art the potter, I am the clay. —Adelaid A. Pollard

DAILY READINGS: 2 Chronicles 32; Ezekiel 48; 1 John 2:12-29

And he said, O my Lord, send, I pray Thee, by the hand of him
whom Thou wilt send. Exodus 4:13

Moses was trying to evade his God-given task, to go to Egypt. As
young believers we would sometimes joke with each other by asking,
“Are you praying this prayer? ‘Here am I Lord, send my sister!’”
However, when today, one sees so many single sisters on the mission
fields of the world, one wonders whether many young fellows actually
seriously prayed that prayer! Then, happy to see their sisters go,
they themselves settled down to lives of ease, wealth and pleasure.
The Lord says, “Go ye.” —David Croudace

My Father’s home of light, my glory circled throne,
I left for earthly night, for wanderings sad and lone;
I left it all for thee; hast thou left ought for Me? —Frances Havergal

DAILY READINGS: 2 Chronicles 31; Ezekiel 47; 1 John 1 to 2:11

Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as
ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:
1 Corinthians 5:7

"Lump” is one of those phonetically appealing words that seems
to perfectly describe something just in the pronouncing of it—a
shapeless, featureless, useless lump. And here the Holy Spirit uses it
in reference to the local church! Once established and gathered unto
the Lord though, the “lump” becomes a “lamp". Godliness is an
inward adornment accomplished by the Holy Spirit, both in our lives
and in our assemblies, despite all the lumps. —Rick Morse

Elect from every nation, yet one o’er all the earth,
Her charter of salvation: one Lord, one faith, one birth. —Samuel John Stone

DAILY READINGS: 2 Chronicles 30; Ezekiel 46; John 21

Thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah.
Psalms 32:7b
He that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about.
Psalms 32:10b
The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear
Him, and delivereth them. Psalms 34:7

It’s a very disheartening thing to be in hostile territory and realize
you’re surrounded by the enemy. But we can rejoice in a far greater
power. This very day we are compassed about with songs of deliverance,
abundant mercy and the angel of the Lord. Would we wish to
be anywhere else? —Wm. H. Gustafson

Safe am I, safe am I, in the hollow of His hand.
Sheltered o’er, sheltered o’er, with His love forevermore.—Mildred L. Dillon

DAILY READINGS: 2 Chronicles 29; Ezekiel 45; John 20:19-31

And God remembered Noah…and God made a wind to pass over
the earth, and the waters assuaged. Genesis 8:1

God remembers us in our trouble and draws close to express His
love. The floods but bear us nearer to His heart. The ark was
designed to take Noah through the judgment, not for him to remain
there forever. Noah had obeyed God’s commands and left the consequences
to Him, and God did not forget him. He rode the waters with
His child. God said, “Come thou into the Ark.” Then He closed the
door and made it secure. The Scriptures confirm for us, “He will not
leave thy soul in hades.” —Milton Haack

Rock of Ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in Thee;
Let the water and the blood, from Thy wounded side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure; save from wrath and make me pure. —A. Toplady

DAILY READINGS: 2 Chronicles 27-28; Ezekiel 44; John 20:1-18

May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and
length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ,
which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness
of God. Ephesians 3:18-19

We live in a three dimensional world. Why then does Paul use four
dimensions to measure the love of Christ? Imagine you are in the
depths of the ocean. If you could be in the very centre, there would
not only be a breadth and length to the mighty waters, but there
would be a depth below you and height above you. God desires that
we comprehend the measureless dimensions of his love and realize
we are in its very centre. —Ken Gross

O the deep, deep love of Jesus, vast unmeasured, boundless, free;
Rolling as a mighty ocean in its fullness over me. —S. Trevor Francis

DAILY READINGS: 2 Chronicles 26; Ezekiel 43; John 19:17-42

Then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan? Jeremiah 12:5b

Entering the swelling of Jordan is a picture of entering death. Men
enter different ways. Voltaire cried out most desperately, “I am abandoned
by God and man! I will give you half of what I am worth if you
will give me six months of life.” The nurse that attended him
exclaimed, “For all the wealth in Europe I would not see another infidel
die.” As Stephen was martyred he calmly said, “Lord Jesus,
receive my spirit.” How will you enter? —R. E. Surgenor

Will your anchor hold in the floods of death?
When the waters cold chill your latest breath?
On the rising tide it can never fail,
While our hopes abide within the veil. —Priscilla Owens

DAILY READINGS: 2 Chronicles 25; Ezekiel 42; John 18:28 to 19:16

Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour,
wherewith shall it be salted? Matthew 5:13a

To lose one’s savour is to become ineffective. The phrase “lost his
savour” suggests that one can be effective and useful, then lose that
effectiveness and usefulness. Living examples include Abraham with
Pharaoh, Lot with his next-of-kin, and Samson with the Philistines.
The parallel passage in Luke speaks of first being “tasteless,” then
“useless”. God is in the business of recovering and restoring savourless
believers. May we always remain salty! —N. Craig Funston

Lord, take my life and make it wholly Thine;
Fill my poor heart with Thy great love divine.
Take all my will, my passion, self and pride;
I now surrender, Lord, in me abide. —J. Edwin Orr