Author: Gospel Folio Press

DAILY READINGS: Ezra 5; Daniel 6; Revelation 2:1-17

And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, He said unto
him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. Mark 12:34a

Reality must exceed ritual. Here is what this wise scribe realized. Unless
his faith involved all of his heart, soul, mind, and strength, no prescribed
ritual would bring him into God’s presence. What about us?
Are we so caught up with the cold grip of orthodoxy, that we’ve lost
sight of Him? While it is certain we are to be obedient to the precepts,
principles, and patt erns He’s drawn out for us, performance of these
without a heart that belongs to Him is hypocrisy. When we “show
up” for the meetings of our assembly, He desires that the whole person
“shows up”. He knows the diff erence. —Rick Morse

Were the whole realm of nature mine, that were off ering far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine; demands my heart, my life, my all. —I. Watt s

DAILY READINGS: Ezra 3-4; Daniel 5; Revelation 1

Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought,
He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of
the LORD his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover
the leper. 2 Kings 5:11

He returned to the man of God…and he said, Behold, now I know
that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel. 2 Kings 5:15a How
oft en do we “think” rather than “know”? We think we have the
right answers to life’s problems. We think we know God’s will for
our lives. And so we go our own way, trying to make our choices fi t
His patt ern. But it is only aft er we surrender to God’s directions that
we can truly know He is leading. His way is best. —A. Fiebig

He leadeth me, O blessed thought! O words with heavenly comfort fraught.
What e’er I do, where e’er I be, still ‘tis God’s hand that leadeth me.—J. H. G.

DAILY READINGS: Ezra 1-2; Daniel 4; 3 John and Jude

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that
every one may receive the things done in his body, according to
that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. 2 Corinthians 5:10

God has promised to every believer that He will remember their sins
no more (Heb 8:12), yet every work for Him will come into judgement.
The Lord will determine what the work is, the quality of the
work and the motive that was behind it. It will then be His joy to
dispense rewards to those whose works are well pleasing to Him. Let
us continue to serve our risen Saviour that we may hear those lovely
words, “Well done thou good and faithful servant.” —Bob Cretney

Before His feet they cast their crowns, those crowns which Jesus gave,
And, with ten thousand tongues, proclaim, His mighty power to save.—B. B.

DAILY READINGS: 2 Chronicles 36; Daniel 3; 2 John

My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and My tongue cleaveth
to My jaws; and Thou hast brought Me into the dust of death.
For dogs have compassed Me: the assembly of the wicked have
inclosed Me: they pierced My hands and My feet. Psalm 22:15-16

In Africa an innocent and beautiful deer will be chased and hounded,
until with its strength gone, it collapses in the dust, tongue
cleaving to its jaws as snarling, vicious, village dogs wait to tear it
apart. What a vivid picture of our blessed Lord. Hounded by kings
and rulers, religious and ungodly, Jews and Gentiles—all crying for
His death. All of this was for us. As we meditate on Him today, may
we bring joy to His heart through our worship. —David Croudace

Then that closing scene of anguish; all God’s waves and billows roll,
Over Him, there left to languish, on the cross, to save my soul. —J. Hopkins

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

Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according
to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness’ sake, O
LORD. Psalm 25:7

Repeatedly in this psalm David remembered his sins of years gone
by, and was fi lled with shame and remorse. If we grow in Christ
and walk closer to Him, we too will have increased sensitivity to
sin and remorse over sins committ ed. Along with our conscience,
Satan, the accuser of the brethren, brings up our sins continually
but our blessed Redeemer remembers us in mercy and goodness.
David’s prayer, and ours are answered at Calvary. Confess your sin
and then leave them there with Him. —Carl Knott

Still the small inward voice I hear, that whispers all my sins forgiven;
Still the atoning blood is near, that quenched the wrath of hostile heaven.
—C. W.

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

I called upon the LORD in distress: the LORD answered me, and
set me in a large place. Psalm 118:5

All storms allowed in a believer’s life are for a divine reason. We
may wonder why, but God has His purposes. Sometimes the Lord
empties us to make room for something bett er than we had before.
It may also be a time of introspection. Has a bad habit interrupted
fellowship? Do fences need repair to keep out worldly distractions?
The Lord desires hearts turned only towards Him, and it may be
that this storm in your life is calling you back to Him. —E. Dyck

When through fi ery trials thy pathways shall lie,
My grace, all suffi cient, shall be thy supply;
The fl ame shall not hurt thee; I only design
Thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refi ne. —J. Keene

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

They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in
sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out. John 9:34
I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and
shall go in and out, and fi nd pasture. John 10:9

Both of these verses are in the context of the beggar who had just
received his sight. Excommunicated from the synagogue simply
meant release from the infl uence of false shepherds and freedom
to follow the good Shepherd. Happy man! What a transformation.
Eyes open. Lips confessing and heart worshipping! This is life in
abundance. If we were asked today in what way we are experiencing
this life, what would we say? —Drew Craig

Acceptance through His holy Name, forgiveness in His blood we have;
But more abundant life we claim, through Him who died our souls to save.—C. W.

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

[Elij ah] was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed
earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by
the space of three years and six months. James 5:17

Elij ah was a remarkable man. He came from obscurity to be greatly
used by God. He is one of two men who have gone to heaven without
dying. Yet Elij ah was still human. He had needs and like each
one of us, he was discouraged on occasions. What made Elij ah great,
however, was that he was a man of prayer. His prayers of faith were
outstanding. They did not illustrate his own power, but the power
of God in a man who was prepared to take God at His word. May
we learn this lesson and apply it today. —John M. Clegg

Prayer is the Christian’s vital breath, the Christian’s native air;
His watchword at the gates of death, he enters heaven with prayer.—J. M.

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

Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand
upon us both. Job 9:33
For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men,
the man Christ Jesus; 1 Timothy 2:5

In the extremity of his suff ering, Job longed for someone who could
act as a bridge between himself and God. In his day, Job had no
such access. The believer rejoices that the longing of Job has now
found its answer in the blessed Lord Jesus. He became man whilst
fully retaining his deity, and as such He is fully equipped to be our
mediator. Share your burdens with Him today. —W. H. Burnett

Touched with a sympathy within, He knows our feeble frame,
He knows what sore temptations are, for He endured the same. —I. Watts

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

Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand
cubits by measure: come not near unto it, that ye may know the
way by which ye must go: for ye have not passed this way heretofore.
Joshua 3:4

Have you ever been in a new situation? A bereavement, a relationship
breakdown or a loss of health? As you looked ahead, you could
not fathom how you would face the future and walk along that challenging
road. Simply put, you hadn’t passed that way before. But
the Lord knows the way and He will meet your need. We must look
to Him who has gone before. He will strengthen and help through
all the dark and lonely way. —M. Robins

Lord, I would clasp Thy hand in mine, nor ever murmur nor repine,
Content, whatever lot I see, since ‘tis Thy hand that leadeth me!—J. Gilmore